24 October 2011

The sheep are in so much trouble. Bush Pack on City Walk

| johnboy
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bush pack

There’s been no word from ArtsACT, but there’s a wonderful new piece on City Walk waiting for ingenious drunks to find a way to ruin it.

Called “Bush Pack” by its creator Amanda Stuart it is a beautiful expression of both the joy and the menace of wild dogs.

For mine this is the best of what public art can be.

bush pack bush pack bush pack

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john87_no1 said :

Holden Caulfield said :

I like it (based on the pic), but I wonder how long it will be until it is the subject of a public health and safety related claim. As well, as the inevitable vandalism.

I agree, they look pretty good, but am also sceptical about vandalism – they dont seem to be secured to the ground very well!

Hopefully the police will keep an eye on it Thu-Sat nights, they park only 100m from there.

They dug huge holes about a metre deep to anchor them in. They also fenced off a huge chunk of Garema place for about a month to install them.

I love this sculpture. And the last one in line is very clearly a boy!

I too would love for these to not be vandalised, but have only faint hope.

Can we get the Zebras running through there too?

Looks great, but it won’t last the weekend.

Perhaps we could get some real wild dogs out there on weekends.

creative_canberran11:20 pm 24 Oct 11

Gantz said :

They’re great! But why is the ‘art’ always placed in main thoroughfares in the A.C.T.?

Surely they could’ve been more strategically placed, say, away from where everyone walks.

Less an issue in thoroughfares than the chuggers surely?

At least these sheep won’t come after you despite saying no 3 times, finally giving up only when you say you “already donate monthly to the Aryan Union” (thank you Seinfeld!)

cranky said :

Is it possible to wire them to 10,000 volts between 9pm and 6am to discourage the arseholes who are ever present to destroy?

Here we go. An idea! Why can’t we do this? Or rent out the space to hunters (there’s one advertising in the local paper, wanting property to hunt on , he’ll even pay). Attack the sculpture, someone goes all Hard Target on your arse.

Gantz said :

They’re great! But why is the ‘art’ always placed in main thoroughfares in the A.C.T.?

Surely they could’ve been more strategically placed, say, away from where everyone walks.

Then it the art wouldn’t be quite as ‘public’ though, would it. I love stuff like that right where I walk. And I’d much rather give way to a few bronze dogs than to a forest of ugly poles.

Only seen the above photos, but they appear a cut above. Magic.

Is it possible to wire them to 10,000 volts between 9pm and 6am to discourage the arseholes who are ever present to destroy?

Wait till Aunty Jack, rips its bloody tails off.

Looks like the sculptor watched ‘The Mummy’ and ‘Resident Evil’ once or twice.

johnboy said :

They’re in line with the trees

still, kind of interesting placement for events like the multicultural festival days.

Just brilliant. These have even bettered the sculptures at the Ainslie Shops! (I hope they’ll be lit at night … I can see them being tripped over … )

wildturkeycanoe4:36 pm 24 Oct 11

When do we see the contract hunters lining up these dogs in their gunsights?

Oh goodie, more things to dodge! I love a good challenge.

That’s some excellent sculpture.

Fabulous.

Here’s a paper about ‘nil tenure’ for those inclined to read about it.

The executive summary is that “nil tenure” relates to mapping out stock losses and pest animal territories without taking into account any human tenures (i.e.: the borders on cadastral maps are ignored). Plans are then devised involving all the human stakeholders, with costs of the pest management borne by all those participating, regardless of how much a particular activity impacts their tenure.

What? No cyclist having a whinge about them getting in the way, a la “The Civic Pole Farm”:  http://the-riotact.com/the-civic-pole-farm/56628

Although this time they don’t actually serve a practical purpose. (I like them as art by the way

They’re in line with the trees

They’re great! But why is the ‘art’ always placed in main thoroughfares in the A.C.T.?

Surely they could’ve been more strategically placed, say, away from where everyone walks.

“Ow! My fargin’ shin!”

Shear brilliance…

Gungahlin Al said :

I wonder what the “nil tenure” means on the sign?

Nil tenure refers to a conservation strategy that allows landowners and others to take action against feral animals within national parks; recognising that wild dogs and others don’t respect boundaries.

Gungahlin Al12:37 pm 24 Oct 11

I agree it’s a brilliant piece. But disturbing for anyone who’s lived on the land and seen the damage such dogs can do to livestock and wildlife.

How intriguing that someone thought to position them in City Walk bearing down on the randy sheep…

I wonder what the “nil tenure” means on the sign?

Be careful about your kids climbing on them during summer – scalded legs/bums are common with bronze works. It was one of the reasons why we asked for the bunyip to be small enough for kids to engage with but too big for them to climb onto.

I think this artist came and talked to us at uni. She based the dogs on the carcasses hanging from wild dog trees out near farms, and the wrapping was done with old clothes from op shops in the area, ie the clothes of the people who are the ‘enemies’ of the wild dogs. She has done installations with the dogs leaping through walls and scattered through the gardens at a uni. Those ones went walkabout pretty quickly but usually just turned up somewhere else on campus.

Wonderful stuff, and also a sharp comment on what sheep and other livesstock can expect when urban areas encroach farmland. They don’t have to be bush dogs that form a pack and rip the sheep to bits.

Adn what a shame that something beautiful is expected to be wrecked by the evil monkeys that live among us.

Holden Caulfield said :

I like it (based on the pic), but I wonder how long it will be until it is the subject of a public health and safety related claim. As well, as the inevitable vandalism.

I agree, they look pretty good, but am also sceptical about vandalism – they dont seem to be secured to the ground very well!

Hopefully the police will keep an eye on it Thu-Sat nights, they park only 100m from there.

Oh great, now my daughter will not only want her picture taking of sitting on both sheep each time we pass, but also a pack of dogs!

No seriously, looks awesome! I like most of the street art around Garema Place. Some of it is quite subtle too.

Holden Caulfield11:50 am 24 Oct 11

I like it (based on the pic), but I wonder how long it will be until it is the subject of a public health and safety related claim. As well, as the inevitable vandalism.

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