Walsh 'sorry' as call grows to dump Dark Mofo's boss (2024)

The multimillionaire behind the art festival slammed over its plan to use donated blood to soak a British flag for an art projecthas admitted he "approved it without much thought", ascalls for aboycott of this year's festival grow.

David Walsh, the Tasmanian founder of MONA (Museum of Old and New Art),which runs the annual Dark Mofo winter festival,has confessed he "didn't see the deeper consequences of this proposition",after festival creative director Leigh Carmichael announced he had "made a mistake" in commissioning Union Flag.

The project, by Spanish artist Santiago Sierra's piece, was announced last weekend as one of the major acts for the festival, to take place in June.

Festival organisers invited expressions of interest for First Nations people who'd been colonised by the British Empire to donate their blood, into which a Union Jack flag was to be immersed and later put on show.

Just hours after an ABC interview defending the project, Carmichael took a rare step for the festival and backed away from the controversy.

"We've heard the community's response to Santiago Sierra's Union Flag," he said on Tuesday.

"In the end the hurt that will be caused by proceeding isn't worth it. We made a mistake, and take full responsibility. The project will be cancelled.

"We apologise to all First Nations people for any hurt that has been caused. We are sorry."

Walsh posted to his blog late on Tuesday that two years ago he had been "briefed about Santiago Sierra's Union Flag. I didn't think much about it at the time".

"I thought it would appeal to the usual leftie demographic. I approved it without much thought (as has become obvious)."

'Grave error of judgement'

Trawlwulwuy artist and Aboriginal Heritage Officer Fiona Hamilton has exhibited her work as part of Dark Mofo in the past and acted as a consultant to the festival.

She said the artwork should not have been commissioned in the first place.

"Dark Mofo, and particularly Leigh Carmichael, have made a really grave error of judgement around how this would resonate, particularly with First Nations people, not just in Tasmania but around the world," she said.

"I would say Leigh Carmichael needs to resign.

"Leigh has had a number of years to consider his relationship with First Nations people, particularly in Tasmania, but also in general."

Multiple MONA staff launched scathing criticisms of the planned work and the decision to commission it, including Violent Femmes band member Brian Ritchie, who is also the artistic director of the museum's summer festival, Mona Foma.

Ms Hamilton said Dark Mofo needed to learn from the experience.

"I think the near-mutiny that Dark Mofo has experienced internally from its own staff over the last couple of days is not just around this artwork, it's around that festival is operating and what the benefit is to local First Nations artists and local storytelling," she said.

"I would call on all First Nations artists to continue to boycott MONA and to continue to boycott Dark Mofo.

"At the end of the day we should not be lending our work, and we should not be lending our black bodies and our First Nations bodies to places that actually don't want to have proper respectful relationships with us."

Nala Mansell from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre supported the work, saying it was "a great opportunity to raise awareness of the massacres" of Aboriginal people.

But she agreed with the sentiment that Dark Mofo needed to do better.

"Speak to the people of whom they would like to representwould be the main message," she said.

"This is an important truth that needs to be told but they need to ensure that they're being culturally sensitive at the same time.

"Consultation with the Aboriginal community could have been a better way to ensure that this message was made loud and clear without any offensiveness caused to Aboriginal people."

Michael Mansell from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land Council said Dark Mofo shouldcontinue with the show "to ensure that the free flow of ideas prevails over short-sighted censorship".

In a statement, Mr Mansell said: "Leigh Carmichael should go ahead with the exhibition. The artist challenges Tasmanians about whether Aboriginal lands were peacefully or violently taken, and uses the blood-smattered Union Jack to express his view.

"That view must be allowed to be expressed on the ground of a free flow of ideas alone. People have every right to disagree with the artist's depiction of the discussion and may be offended by his methods, but they are not sound reasons to stifle the artist's freedom of thought."

Mixed reactions on social media

Dark Mofo used its social media accounts to announce the cancellation of the work, with hundreds commenting to express their anger.

Maori artist Kira Puru was also critical of Carmichael.

"I don't think anyone who is so out of touch as to let this project through in the first place, especially after hearing the opposing stance of local elders and members of the MONA/Mofo staff, deserves a place as creative director, nor a seat on any other board in the arts," she wrote.

"And it frankly sucks that people even have to be so outspoken for the rights of our Indigenous peoples to be considered, let alone prioritised.

"It drives home how racist this country still is when a progressive arts festival can't even get this right."

Aboriginal artist Rachael Sarra was among many calling for Carmichael to resign or be removed from the Australia Council for the Arts board.

"Board members need to have enough of a conscience to prevent this from happening, not [be]celebrating the questionable 'provocative' nature," she wrote.

"Your name and brand is now marked as culturally unsafe."

Walsh 'sorry'

In his blog post, Walsh said he hadbeen "talking to Leigh Carmichael" in the wake of the outrage.

"He is suffering (but that's self-inflicted, of course —many suffered because of us, and our privilege). He, like me, didn't see the deeper consequences of this proposition.

"Had all this gone swimmingly: blood collected, naff anti-colonial point made, feedback positive, who would have benefited? Not First Nations people. They already know they've been f*****over by colonialism. Who then? Mona? Me.

"I'm sorry."

In a statement,the Australia Council for the Arts said appointments to its board were "a matter for the Minister for the Arts, in accordance with the Australia Council Act 2013".

"The Australia Council does not have the power to appoint or remove board members."