MONA is beaming 49 searchlights into the night sky every Saturday until it reopens

The world might feel dark right now but MONA is rectifying that, quite literally. The unconventional Tasmanian gallery is beaming 49 xenon searchlights 15 kilometres into the night sky every Saturday until it can reopen. 

The light installation is a work called ‘spectra’ by artist Ryoji Ikeda and has been part of MONA’s permanent collection since 2018. If those lights look familiar to you, you’d be right; ‘spectra’ has previously made appearances at Dark Mofo as well as in various iterations around the world.

Photograph: Mona / Jesse Hunniford

If you live within around 100 kilometres of MONA you’ll likely be able to see ‘spectra’ in real life from your home. If you don’t, you can watch the luminescent installation shine into the heavens on livestream – a streamed beam if you will – via MONA’s website or YouTube channel. 

MONA will continue to showcase ‘spectra’ sunset to sunrise every Saturday night until it can reopen (the gallery closed on March 18).

MONA is also livestreaming Tim – a man and his tattooed back.

Meanwhile in Melbourne, the Arts Centre is lighting its spire yellow until it too can reopen.