Tasmania Branch: Behind the scenes at MONA and the Material Institute: A synthesis of landscape, architecture, art and social responsibility

Moorilla Estate/MONA. Building on the initial aspirations of Claudio Alcorso, the entire complex continues to demonstrate a synthesis of art, history, architecture, and landscape. Our tour will concentrate on the gardens and landscape architecture of MONA including the picking garden. It will be conducted by Ben Essex, MONA’s Horticulture Manager and will give an insight into David’s vision. On the tour we will see areas of the garden that are not accessible to the public, learning why certain decisions in the garden that do not appear to make sense have been made.

Material Institute Lutruita /Tasmania was founded in 2021 by MONA’s Kirsha Kaechel This campus houses a one-acre market garden, orchard and nursery providing fresh produce and seedlings for onsite workshops, the 24 Carrot Garden program in Tasmanian Schools and other local community-based projects. Tara Edmondson, Senior Horticultural Manager, will lead the AGHS tour of the garden including visits to the onsite Beauty Lab, Art Studio and Kitchen.

Cost: $55.00 members only. 40 tickets available. Lunch, featuring produce from the garden and prepared by the chef working at the Material Institute, is included. Information on where to meet along with heritage notes will be sent prior to the event.

At MONA toilets will not be accessible once the tour starts and our path will move over uneven ground and up and down steps with no railings. Participants are advised there are beehives at MI, and bees may be present in areas of the garden visited.

Venues: MONA 651-655 Main Road, Berriedale; Material Institute 2A Eddington St, Bridgewater.

Book: at Trybooking.

Event organisers: Andrew Robert-Tissot 0419 515 392 / Ann Stark 0497 904 340