These are clues for artworks exhibited at Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). The star rating is the index for the artwork names, while the "reviewers" are the artists' initials.
Artist
Artwork
Rating (Index)
Letter
Wim Delvoye
CLOACA PROFESSIONAL
1
C
Ai Weiwei
WHITE HOUSE
8
U
Nell
EVERYDAY HAPPINESS
4
R
Oliver Beer
MONA CONFESSIONAL
4
A
Erwin Wurm
FAT CAR
3
T
Santiago Sierra
ECONOMICAL STUDY ON THE SKIN OF CARACANS
1
E
Kirsha Kaechele
LADIES LOUNGE
3
D
This gives CURATED as the solution.
Author's notes
Author: Dan
This puzzle was inspired by something one of my friends (who is currently on annual leave in Paris and having the time of his life) said upon laying eyes on the Mona Lisa — all he could utter was that it was “smaller than expected” and “far too busy”. I found this somewhat comical and decided to riff this puzzle off of the sentiment that “some people just can’t appreciate fine art…”
The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is one of Hobart’s premier tourist attractions and offers a wide array of what I can only describe as weird and eclectic (if you have never been, well worth a visit!). Its art is subject to much controversy and I thought it provided uniquely Australian twist to the backdrop of this puzzle.
I also quite enjoyed writing the final clue — for those of you who might have missed the controversy last year, there was a discrimination complaint filed against the Ladies Lounge after a man was refused entry to it (which is the entire premise of the artwork). The gallery was initially found to have discriminated against him but this finding was later overturned by the Supreme Court.