Hobart artist paints ‘subversive’ and ‘playful’ Dark Mofo and Midnight Mass mural

A Hobart artist has painted the city streets in red as part of Dark Mofo’s Night Mass immersion. PICTURES >>

Artist Tom O'Hern with Mason Browne Night Mass Exstasia curator. Tom will produce artwork as part of Dark Mofo's Night Mass Exstasia. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Hiding behind a mask that represents an extension of himself, Tasmanian artist Tom O’Hern draws attention to the red graffiti behind him.

The Hobart artist was commissioned by Dark Mofo to create a mural in Bidencopes Lane and to paint the interiors for Night Mass.

“I’ve made lots of drawings that I’ve tried to put over everything,” he said.

“They asked me to paint a bunch of angels and then I started thinking about cathedrals because I’d really love to paint a cathedral but I’m probably not going to get asked to paint a cathedral so I guess that’s as close as I’ll get.

“I painted lots of beautiful angels, and they’re all embracing each other and there’s lots of body fluids.”

Artist Tom O'Hern with Mason Browne Night Mass Exstasia curator. Tom will produce artwork as part of Dark Mofo's Night Mass Exstasia. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

He said he spent up to two days painting the mural and would one day like to be like Bansky.

“Everyone says you’re meant to spend ages of time but sometimes it looks better if you do it really quick.

“I’d like to get to the point where I’m just allowed to draw wherever I want and maybe I get up at night and work till five and wear a suit and people just let me draw everywhere.”

Night Mass creative producer and curator Mason Browne said Mr O’Hern’s work was subversive and playful.

“It plays on the ideas of monsters and villains and angels and those things aren’t necessarily dark but they just represent a part of our nature that we should accept and find balance in,” he said.

He said he wanted to play with the idea of dystopia for Night Mass.

“Not in the sense of the end of the world,” he said.

“It’s kind of about creating balance so accepting the world as it is and celebrating beauty and the breakdown. I like to use the term dystopian Disneyland as inspiration.”

More than 15,000 tickets have been sold for the event, the biggest in Night Mass history, which will be spread across three city blocks. More than 115 artists will have performed across both weekends.

“When you’re celebrating chaos and creativity and the event itself, that can create a little bit of chaos in and of itself,” Mr Browne said.

“We’ve really done a lot of work to curate an experience that has frenetic energy and quiet space and contemplative space but in spaces that you can feel included and feel comfortable in.”

Limited number of tickets are still available for Night Mass across the weekend. Tom O’Hern will feature his art at Bett Gallery for his Hell Pig exhibition.