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Julian Charrière: Hard Core: MONA

Current & Ongoing exhibition
6 June 2026 - 29 March 2027
  • Overview
  • Installation Views
  • Press
  • Video
Overview
The Blue Fossil Entropic Stories III & II, 2013, Julian Charrière Archival pigment prints on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth Collection of Dittrich & Schlechtriem, Berlin, Germany Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

The Blue Fossil Entropic Stories III & II, 2013, Julian Charrière

Archival pigment prints on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth

Collection of Dittrich & Schlechtriem, Berlin, Germany

Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

Hard Core is Julian Charrière's first solo exhibition in Australia and his first major project in Oceania. Conceived in close dialogue with Mona's architecture and landscape, the exhibition unfolds across the museum's galleries, the Void and newly excavated subterranean spaces, tracing a journey through geological, climatic and planetary time.

 

Bringing together sculpture, installation, film and photography, Hard Core explores the forces that shape our world beyond the scale of human experience. Stone, ice, coal, lava, metals and fossil matter become both material and subject, as Charrière examines the entangled histories of nature, extraction, industry and myth.

 

Throughout the exhibition, the artist confronts the fragility of planetary systems and the deep timescales that underpin them. Glacial boulders are cored and repaired with precious metals; ancient rock formations are transformed through slow mechanical processes; landscapes marked by resource extraction reappear in film and photography as sites of both destruction and wonder.

 

As Charrière notes, Hard Core brings together distinct works as a single geological body, compressing planetary durations into a shared encounter. Presented in Tasmania—a place whose landscapes evoke some of the oldest chapters of Earth's history—the exhibition situates contemporary human activity within a far older story of stone, ice and transformation.

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Installation Views
  • Not all Who Wander Are Lost (detail), 2019, Julian Charrière Glacial erratic boulders, drill cores, aluminium, brass, copper, gold, steel, silver Ensemble of four sculptures Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Not all Who Wander Are Lost (detail), 2019, Julian Charrière

    Glacial erratic boulders, drill cores, aluminium, brass, copper, gold, steel, silver

    Ensemble of four sculptures

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • The Blue Fossil Entropic Stories III & II, 2013, Julian Charrière Archival pigment prints on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth Collection of Dittrich & Schlechtriem, Berlin, Germany Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    The Blue Fossil Entropic Stories III & II, 2013, Julian Charrière

    Archival pigment prints on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth

    Collection of Dittrich & Schlechtriem, Berlin, Germany

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Soothsayer (detail), 2021, Julian Charrière Anthracite coal, stainless steel Collection Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), Hobart, Australia Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Soothsayer (detail), 2021, Julian Charrière

    Anthracite coal, stainless steel

    Collection Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), Hobart, Australia

     

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Towards No Earthly Pole, 2019, Julian Charrière 4K film, 32:10 aspect ratio, 14.2 ambisonic soundscape; duration 01:44:30, continuous loop Film score by Robert Lippok Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Towards No Earthly Pole, 2019, Julian Charrière

    4K film, 32:10 aspect ratio, 14.2 ambisonic soundscape; duration 01:44:30, continuous loop

    Film score by Robert Lippok

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Tropisme –19.2ºC, 2015, Julian Charrière Cryogenised plant, refrigerated showcase Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Dittrich & Schlechtriem, Berlin, Germany.

    Tropisme –19.2ºC, 2015, Julian Charrière

    Cryogenised plant, refrigerated showcase

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Dittrich & Schlechtriem, Berlin, Germany.

  • Veins (detail), 2026, Julian Charrière White marble, oxidised iron wedges Courtesy of the artist Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Veins (detail), 2026, Julian Charrière

    White marble, oxidised iron wedges

    Courtesy of the artist

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Atlas (detail), 2026, Julian Charrière Stromatolite, lapidary rock grinders, steel, aluminium, water Commissioned by Mona for the exhibition Julian Charrière: Hard Core Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Atlas (detail), 2026, Julian Charrière

    Stromatolite, lapidary rock grinders, steel, aluminium, water

    Commissioned by Mona for the exhibition Julian Charrière: Hard Core

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Buried Sunshines Burn, 2023, Julian Charrière Heliography on high-polished stainless steel plate Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Buried Sunshines Burn, 2023, Julian Charrière

    Heliography on high-polished stainless steel plate

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Julian Charrire And Breathe 2026 55314039457 O
  • Vertigo (detail), 2021, Julian Charrière Onyx, motors, lamps, soundtrack Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Vertigo (detail), 2021, Julian Charrière

    Onyx, motors, lamps, soundtrack

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Installation view, Hard Core, Julian Charrière Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Installation view, Hard Core, Julian Charrière

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • A Stone Dream Of You (detail), 2024, Julian Charrière Volcanic rock, obsidian Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    A Stone Dream Of You (detail), 2024, Julian Charrière

    Volcanic rock, obsidian

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • No Bodies Dreams Survives, 2026, Julian Charrière Ivory Mystery Snails (Pomacea bridgesii), marble, water Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    No Bodies Dreams Survives, 2026, Julian Charrière

    Ivory Mystery Snails (Pomacea bridgesii), marble, water

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Metamorphism (detail), 2016, Julian Charrière Artificial lava, molten computer waste Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Metamorphism (detail), 2016, Julian Charrière

    Artificial lava, molten computer waste

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Controlled Burn, 2022, Julian Charrière 4K film, 16:9 aspect ratio, 3D ambisonics soundscape, duration 00:32:00, continuous loop Co-Director: Johannes Förster. Sound Composition and Design: Felix Deufel. Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Controlled Burn, 2022, Julian Charrière

    4K film, 16:9 aspect ratio, 3D ambisonics soundscape, duration 00:32:00, continuous loop

    Co-Director: Johannes Förster. Sound Composition and Design: Felix Deufel.

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Controlled Burn (film still), 2022, Julian Charrière 4K film, 16:9 aspect ratio, 3D ambisonics soundscape, duration 00:32:00, continuous loop Co-Director: Johannes Förster. Sound Composition and Design: Felix Deufel. Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Controlled Burn (film still), 2022, Julian Charrière

    4K film, 16:9 aspect ratio, 3D ambisonics soundscape, duration 00:32:00, continuous loop

    Co-Director: Johannes Förster. Sound Composition and Design: Felix Deufel.

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

  • Julian Charrière and Breathe, 2026 Banded iron ore, water rendered from banded iron ore, custom reactor, modified Hofmann apparatus, heliostat Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

    Julian Charrière and Breathe, 2026

    Banded iron ore, water rendered from banded iron ore, custom reactor, modified Hofmann apparatus, heliostat

    Photo credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford

    Copyright the artist; VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Germany. Courtesy the artist and Mona.

Press
  • Breathing two‑billion‑year old air: MONA’s Hard Core is an artistic journey through deep time

    Hannah Moore, The Conversation, June 9, 2026
Video

Related artist

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    Julian Charrière

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OLIVIER VARENNE

 

Art Moderne & Contemporain

37-39 rue des Bains

1205 Geneva, Switzerland

info@varenne.art

t: +41 22 810 27 27

Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm / Sat: by appointment                 

MONAD CONTEMPORARY SA

 

37-39 rue des Bains

1205 Geneva, Switzerland

info@monad.ch                                                                    

MONA 

 

Olivier Varenne 

c/o Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) 

655 Main Road Berriedale 

Hobart Tasmania 7011 

Australia 

olivier@mona.net.au

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