Mona's 'Namedropping' exhibition explores status-seeking through 200+ artworks including Wu-Tang Clan's rare album

The Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, Australia, presents 'Namedropping,' an exhibition examining how art and brands signal status for power, sex, and reputation. Featuring over 200 objects, the show includes an autographed cricket bat, an 18th-century Belgian tapestry, and Vincent Namatjira's painting 'Vincent & Donald (Indulkana)' from 2018. A highlight is the only physical copy of Wu-Tang Clan's album 'Once Upon a Time in Shaolin,' recorded between 2007 and 2013 in Staten Island, New York. The album was purchased in 2015 by Martin Shkreli, seized by the U.S. government in 2018, and sold to PleasrDAO in 2021 for $4 million. Mona offers select visitors a free 30-minute mix of the album. Curated with input from founder David Walsh, the exhibition runs through April 21, 2025, and explores themes from colonialism to misogyny, including works like Jenny Holzer's 'Lustmord' series from 1994 and Carl Andre's '144 Tin Square' from 1975. The display juxtaposes artifacts like an Egyptian coffin with memorabilia such as Heath Ledger's 'Ned Kelly' helmet from 2003.