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A petition calling on the Hobart City Council to ban a Dark Mofo performance featuring an animal carcass has gathered more than 7,000 signatures in just a few hours.
Austrian artist Hermann Nitsch will direct the three-hour piece, described as a "bloody, sacrificial ritual" during the festival in June.
Warning: This story contains graphic content
It has caused widespread community concern, despite assurances the animal will be killed humanely before the adults-only show by the 78-year-old Nitsch who is known for using carcasses, blood and the entrails of slaughtered animals.
An online petition was launched by Animal Liberation Tasmania on Wednesday morning and had clocked up more than 7,000 signatures by 7:00pm.
It calls on the Hobart City Council to intervene.
Lord Mayor Sue Hickey, who said she was not a prude just "Mrs Average", is one of the signatories.
"I don't think it should be allowed to proceed, I find it offensive on so many levels and I do think it's something that crosses what I would consider public decency," she said.
"I don't know when art ceases to be art and when it crosses that line and becomes something really perverse, but I think we're very close to that mark now.
"I think that [Dark Mofo has] really stretched our boundaries and tested our senses and really put Tasmania on the map, but they're not a god unto themselves and they should be pulled up when they cross that line."
Alderman Hickey said she had voiced her opposition as mayor and was not commenting on behalf of the council.
However, she would ask the council to consider its options.
"I'm not asking that we walk away from sponsoring Dark Mofo but I'll seriously be questioning this particular performance," she said.
Alderman Hickey said she would also be asking Premier Will Hodgman to intervene as the event is supported by $10.5 million in government funding.
"I think something that's just blatantly offensive is not necessarily art and I don't think that's the best use of ratepayer's money," she said.
Mr Hodgman was not offended, saying provocative and "cutting-edge" art installations defined Hobart's mid-winter festival.
"We recognise that a lot of what is exciting about Dark Mofo is that it's provocative, at the cutting edge of what Tasmania has now got an increased reputation for providing." he said.
"Of course we'd want to be assured that appropriate protections are in place so nobody who doesn't want to see it, sees it."
Meat 'leftovers' possible health issue: Mayor
Dark Mofo creative director Leigh Carmichael said the show would be powerful and audiences would be restricted to over 18 years of age.
"It is the artist's intention that the meat be eaten after the event, and we are working through addressing the health and safety regulations to achieve this outcome," he said.
Ms Hickey said that may trigger a public health issue.
"If meat is going to be exposed to the environment for three odd hours and smeared on body parts and altars and all sorts of other things and then is going to be to be eaten, I find that a little perverse," she said.
"Certainly I can't imagine that we'd allow any restaurant to do that."
Ms Hickey said she was not against the festival itself, but the work of Nitsch specifically.
"He's a very controversial artist, he's been sent to jail for his acts before, he's been banned in many different places," she said.
"At some stage we have to ask the question, 'what is art and what is not?', and not everything can be excused as art."
'Meat-eating hypocrites'
The show provoked a strong reaction on social media with most people expressing their disgust on ABC Radio Hobart's Facebook page.
'The slaughter of an animal in the name of art is barbaric ... no more Dark Mofo events for me — gone too far this time," Paul Jackson wrote.
"WTAF??? This is beyond disgusting ... taking life for personal gratification is sick," Adrienne Pendelton wrote.
But some people, including vegetarians, were supportive.
"I am a vegetarian myself so I struggle to see why people are having such a hard time with this if they themselves are happy to eat animals that are slaughtered for food?" Stevie Dwyer posted.
Ben Schulz agreed: "Love all the meat eating hypocrites here blowing up. The way this poor animal is being treated for art is no different to how it's treated for your last dinner."
Topics: animal-welfare, carnivals-and-festivals, performance-art, contemporary-art, hobart-7000
First posted