31 July 2010

Art for the Stanhope memorial gardens

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times brings word (for some reason there’s been no media release, just a highly selective media event) of a $242,000 sculpture for the new arboretum.

It’s the words “Wide brown land” written in steel (brown steel mind you).

One would think we’ve moved beyond the hackneyed dross of Dorothea Mackellar’s My Country but hey, if it’s going to flutter the hearts of the oldies is a quarter million too much to pay?

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Jesus Christ, you’d think Stanhope had become a Green sticking his mates ‘sculpture’ in amongst the trees. But to be positive, the 20 people a year who go to the arboretum might like a laugh.

I thought that this ridiculous purchase of ‘art’ by this moron Stanhope was finished? Didn’t the public long ago say ‘enough is enough’? What the hell is wrong with this local Government – come on the next election so we can (hopefully) get rid of this idiot!

johnboy said :

Yeah, large scale media events selectively spoonfed to friendly outlets is soo much edgier.

Ari said :

Mere paranoid assumptions, JB.

No, not assumptions. Just rightly placed paranoia. It seems to be the way Stanhope’s government works these days.

I actually think it looks quite ok.

But if its commissioned by ACT Government, it has to have a spelling error in it somewhere, “wide borwn land” anyone?

Couldn’t they insist that the fabrication is don’t locally when they commission stuff like this. Quite apart from the economic implications for local industry, there is the “art miles” impact to consider.

Pommy bastard9:27 am 01 Aug 10

Honest to Christ! Apart from the utter irony of “wide brown land” at an arboretum, FFS, is there no artist capable of producing something more suitable as a tribute to Stan’s monstrous ego?

How much more taxpayers money will this idiot waste on bizarre pieces of (s)crap?

JessicaNumber11:36 pm 31 Jul 10

phototext said :

Dunno why they needed a writer on the team

I hope it’s not for writing funding applications. I’d like to think they are available to the best artists and performers, not just the ones that can team up with the best writers!

$242k for that eyesore? I wonder what they are willing to pay for a fibreglass zebra’s head?

I think it will look cool.

“The $242,000 sculpture, by artists Kate Owen and Daniel Zika and writer Chris Viney”

Dunno why they needed a writer on the team, to spell check perhaps.

JessicaNumber9:08 pm 31 Jul 10

And for another quarter million I’ll compose a soundtrack to go with it. It will convey the majesty and grace of the wide brown Australian landscape.

Oh, we’re only funding “public art” if it’s ostentatious sculpture?

Frankly, I’m jealous.

And just think what the local scene would be like if local sculptors were trousering this kind of wonga.

Oh Cheeses! The wide brown land of the arboretum? Or maybe it will be after the next bush fire.

Is there any way of establishing what other monstrous waste of ratepayer money has been commissioned by Sonic.

He seems to have the keys to the vault. What he decides is ‘art’ is given a dream financial run. Everyone else has to fight tooth and nail for their funding.

Something is not right in this scheme of things. Personal whims should not be able to be financed from the public pocket.

Samuel Gordon-Stewart7:12 pm 31 Jul 10

So that’s how much it costs. I noticed that WIN completely missed that point in their entirely positive story about the monstrosity.

…is a quarter million too much to pay?

For art, no.

For the words “Wide brown land” written in wide brown steel, you bet your arse!

A 200ft tall Jim Morrison statue would have been far better, especially if it was surrounded by the 6ft tall words in steel, “Come on Baby, light my fire”.

Wow, thats a lot of steal, its must be worth a bundle.

They have trouble keep the trees from thieves, I fear this sculpture has a very bleak future.

BTW, what a waste of money.

Mere paranoid assumptions, JB.

That assumes there was one.

It actually has been known for some outlets to report news not generated by press release.

Yeah, large scale media events selectively spoonfed to friendly outlets is soo much edgier.

for some reason there’s been no media release

Actual legwork too daunting, eh?

Tricky when the media alert is selective too.

Hopefully the heart flutters will lead to a few heart attacks, which should reduce the pension bill… social engineering at work!

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