Meet the SkyWhale, here to join the Centenary Celebrations

Postalgeek said :

I’d like to know how many dollars in advertising have been spent over the years to raise the profile of Canberra, and why they didn’t think of this.

And finally we have our own Big Skywhale, and it craps all over the Big Banana, the Big Merino, the Big Lobster, the Big Pineapple, and even Robertson’s Big Turd.

Have to say – while I was originally horrified at the cost – the free media coverage will probably see the $300k as a bargain – for both city and artist alike. Im not sure im a fan of it artisically, but by being a bit controversial (eg. see National museum), it’s made headlines.

misogynist balloon and it’s disgusting .
More Labour waste

Canberra commemorates itself with hugely expensive silly deal to buy object of hot air.

Comedy Gold.

|8-D

I’d like to know how many dollars in advertising have been spent over the years to raise the profile of Canberra, and why they didn’t think of this.

And finally we have our own Big Skywhale, and it craps all over the Big Banana, the Big Merino, the Big Lobster, the Big Pineapple, and even Robertson’s Big Turd.

Watson said :

It’s absurd and therefor I have to love it. And I love that so many hate it.

Actually, I think it is almost justified to call this surreal, isn’t it?

And it will make toddlers cry, young kids search the sky in anticipation and stoned teenagers ROFL.

I also don’t get why so many still worry about what non-Canberrans think about Canberra. I thought would have thought we would’ve all become immune to the Canberra bashing by now and seen it as an opportunity to rile everyone else up by acting increasingly eccentric. That’s what this whale-with-inflamed-fins seems to perfectly visualise!

+1

Spiral said :

I vote we start a fund raiser to buy the poor thing a bra.

Wins the prize!

I dunno, it’s so bizarre, it’s kind-of fun.

I vote we start a fund raiser to buy the poor thing a bra.

It’s absurd and therefor I have to love it. And I love that so many hate it.

Actually, I think it is almost justified to call this surreal, isn’t it?

And it will make toddlers cry, young kids search the sky in anticipation and stoned teenagers ROFL.

I also don’t get why so many still worry about what non-Canberrans think about Canberra. I thought would have thought we would’ve all become immune to the Canberra bashing by now and seen it as an opportunity to rile everyone else up by acting increasingly eccentric. That’s what this whale-with-inflamed-fins seems to perfectly visualise!

the resemblence to Katy is uncanny!

what_the said :

It looks like someone cut the head off a turkey and Admiral Ackbars head grew back, with tits glued to the side.

I get that art is subjective, but if its for the centenary then shouldn’t it at least try and appeal to and represent the majority of Canberra and its residents?

And who has spoken to each of them to get their opinion on what constitutes art? That’s what I want to know.

johnboy said :

First person to get a skywhale tattoo gets a feature story!

Not sure about a tatt, but I reckon if some clever entrepreneur printed tshirts with ‘International skywhale preservation society ‘ on them,
(a la the third pic here: http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/capital-hill/other-automotive/sky-whale-for-sale-unloved-air-vehicle/1019334404 )
they’d make a killing! I’d def. buy one for the laughs! Hahaha!

Ben_Dover said :

It’s bizarre and inappropriate as it has no relevance, no beauty, no function, no worthiness.

It’s a huge white elephant in the shape of a flying tittycarp.

Shit, I totally forgot that beauty was objective.

It looks like someone cut the head off a turkey and Admiral Ackbars head grew back, with tits glued to the side.

I get that art is subjective, but if its for the centenary then shouldn’t it at least try and appeal to and represent the majority of Canberra and its residents?

Well it turns out that $170,000 was too good to be true. The Canberra Times is claiming that:

the contract between the ACT Government and the balloon’s provider, Melbourne-based Global Ballooning Pty Limited, reveals the total contract price is $338,000

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-centenary/skywhales-higher-cost-revealed-20130510-2jc68.html

Ben_Dover said :

It’s a huge white elephant in the shape of a flying tittycarp.

“Tittycarp”….. you’ve just made my day, and possibly my month! I’m going to use that one wherever possible. Thank’s Ben!

kyhigh said :

nsn said :

I just find it bizarre and inappropriate.

Oh my! Breasts?! Cover them up! Think of the children!

I find it bizarre and inappropriate, which is nothing to do with it having huge floppy tits. You’ve shown your own hangs there mate.

It’s bizarre and inappropriate as it has no relevance, no beauty, no function, no worthiness.

It’s a huge white elephant in the shape of a flying tittycarp.

blind
11:44 am, 10 May 13
Piccinini is a massively successful international artist, she represented Australia at the Venice Biennale and she comes from Canberra. She might well be Canberra’s most successful artist working in the world today. What’s controversial about commissioning her to do something for the arts program of the Canberra Centenary?

You obviously chose your user name with care.

kyhigh said :

nsn said :

I just find it bizarre and inappropriate.

Oh my! Breasts?! Cover them up! Think of the children!

Actually my comment about it being inappropriate had nothing to do with the boobs, just the fact that a ‘skywhale’ bears no relation to the centenary or to Canberra – ie. it’s not appropriate as a centenary of Canberra commission.

I find it odd that you would assume it was a comment on the balloon’s multiple boobs.

My comment about it being scary for small children was a (maybe poorly executed) joke about its hideousness. But that’s just my own view on it as a piece of art – as I said, quite separate from its suitability as a centenary of Canberra commission, which is what I think should be the focus of attention.

johnboy said :

First person to get a skywhale tattoo gets a feature story!

This is the first time I’ve ever been tempted to get a tattoo.

Love the skywhale!

blind said :

BITCHIN IS TEMPORARY

SKYWHALE IS 4 EVA

Especially if you get a Skywhale tattoo…

I’m gonna remember skywhale long after I’ve forgotten everything else that happened this year. So will you.

BITCHIN IS TEMPORARY

SKYWHALE IS 4 EVA

I’m in two minds about this. On the one hand I think it’s definitely going to draw a lot of people’s attention the world over to Canberra. On the other, it doesn’t have anything to with Canberra or anything Canberran and I don’t know whether I’m meant to take offense or not. It’ll probably grow on me, I hate it less now than I did when I first saw it.

nsn said :

I just find it bizarre and inappropriate.

Oh my! Breasts?! Cover them up! Think of the children!

Piccinini is a massively successful international artist, she represented Australia at the Venice Biennale and she comes from Canberra. She might well be Canberra’s most successful artist working in the world today. What’s controversial about commissioning her to do something for the arts program of the Canberra Centenary?

magiccar9 said :

Am I the only one asking WTF does it have to do with Canberra 100?

No, you’re not. If this were just some random art commission, I think I wouldn’t think twice about it (other than maybe to express the view that this thing flying around town is likely to scare children), but as something to mark the centenary of Canberra, I just find it bizarre and inappropriate.

It will be flown about 100hrs mainly interstate according to ACT Gov’s Jeremy Lasek. What will that cost ? I saw one estimate of approx $350,000 !

The only beneficiary of this is the artist. This from Robyn Archer:

“It’s a complex contract. The intellectual property belongs to the artist … and she determines in the end when offers come for it to be flown, she determines where it’s flown.”

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-centenary/the-connection-couldnt-be-plainer-20130510-2jbjb.html#ixzz2SqOBXIJX

Outrageous waste.

Deref said :

It’s certainly different. I’m intrigued as to why the gigaboobs don’t float above it though – how are they held down?

Its a very old skywhale, so just gravity doing its work.

I guess, if little else, the dear old Skywhale has generated far in excess of $170,000 worth of publicity for Canberra 100.

Assuming all publicity is good publicity.

Barcham said :

I love the SkyWhale!

I think it’s brilliant and weird.

I think we need to be putting our defence budget into SkyWhales instead of drones.

Other people are less enthused however as evidenced by this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wif2ouibrIo

Excellent,couldn’t think of a more worthy eyesore that is deserving of a missile attack! Too bad you’re in the small minority there Barcham..

Am I the only one asking WTF does it have to do with Canberra 100?

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-centenary/the-connection-couldnt-be-plainer-20130510-2jbjb.html

So the ACT government funded it, the operating company owns it, the artist decides where it will appear, and no-one can even confirm whether ‘our’ balloon will take part in our balloon festival next year?

I love the SkyWhale!

I think it’s brilliant and weird.

I think we need to be putting our defence budget into SkyWhales instead of drones.

Other people are less enthused however as evidenced by this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wif2ouibrIo

c_c™ said :

Meanwhile the ANU is launching public art you actually want to look at. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/university-star-attraction-one-of-a-kind-20130509-2jb4d.html

Tick.
And that will probably be around a little bit longer than the 100-flight whale to boot!

Meanwhile, I think she should have gone with the Fail Whale look.
True, it’s got SFA to do with Canberra too, but at least it would have looked cooler!
http://www.whatisfailwhale.info/

blind said :

. . It is a model of an imaginary whale that has evolved to fly, and we have one, and no-one else in the world does . .

When I googled to see how far news of this thing had spread it turned out the sky whale idea is not that unique. Perhaps ours is the only one in the form of a hot air balloon but apparently the internet is full of sky whales.

poetix said :

Finally, I think that’s Mully Dick…

GOLD!

blind said :

1. $170,000 is pretty cheap for a giant custom-designed balloon.

2. It is a model of an imaginary whale that has evolved to fly, and we have one, and no-one else in the world does. I think the Centenary has been hit and miss with the big commissions but I am way on side of this crazy f***ing thing.

3. Watching people froth at the mouth about it and the politicians slap each other round hysterically about it is only the icing on a very tasty cake

4. SKYWHALE DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOUR SAD FEELS

SKYWHALE ONLY CARES ABOUT SOARING

SOARING FREE

Is that you, Robyn? hahaha!

I like it – it’s good to have things which perplex and amuse and get people thinking and talking about art.

Just AWESOME!

blind said :

1. $170,000 is pretty cheap for a giant custom-designed balloon.

2. It is a model of an imaginary whale that has evolved to fly, and we have one, and no-one else in the world does. I think the Centenary has been hit and miss with the big commissions but I am way on side of this crazy f***ing thing.

3. Watching people froth at the mouth about it and the politicians slap each other round hysterically about it is only the icing on a very tasty cake

4. SKYWHALE DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOUR SAD FEELS

SKYWHALE ONLY CARES ABOUT SOARING

SOARING FREE

Damn straight. All hail the Skywhale! I’m totally pumped about it.

Ideally she would be just one of a whole series of phantasmagorical creatures floating silently, ominously, over our sleepy suburbs.

Art does not need to be loved, art needs to be talked about. Good job, Patricia Piccinini!

Meanwhile the ANU is launching public art you actually want to look at. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/university-star-attraction-one-of-a-kind-20130509-2jb4d.html

blind said :

1. $170,000 is pretty cheap for a giant custom-designed balloon.

2. It is a model of an imaginary whale that has evolved to fly, and we have one, and no-one else in the world does. I think the Centenary has been hit and miss with the big commissions but I am way on side of this crazy f***ing thing.

3. Watching people froth at the mouth about it and the politicians slap each other round hysterically about it is only the icing on a very tasty cake

4. SKYWHALE DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOUR SAD FEELS

SKYWHALE ONLY CARES ABOUT SOARING

SOARING FREE

Yeah, but if your screen name is an indication, you don’t have to look at the damn ugly thing.

Piccinini’s work often looks at the melting or erasure of divisions between humans and animals, and between the young and the mature. At once playful and destabilising, this is just the sort of thing we need floating over out neat little town, questioning categories and causing a little unease.

That already seems to be happening.

Also, as to the quoted press release, it’s oeuvre, not ouevre.

Finally, I think that’s Mully Dick…

dungfungus said :

GardeningGirl said :

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/capital-hill/other-automotive/sky-whale-for-sale-unloved-air-vehicle/1019334404

That is pure gold.

Hahaha! I *love* the third pic they’ve put up! Brilliant! 🙂

All we need now is to have Robyn Archer on board singing one of her favourites:
http://www.myspace.com/music/player?sid=76244249&ac=now

This is the best thing of all time ever!!!

1. $170,000 is pretty cheap for a giant custom-designed balloon.

2. It is a model of an imaginary whale that has evolved to fly, and we have one, and no-one else in the world does. I think the Centenary has been hit and miss with the big commissions but I am way on side of this crazy f***ing thing.

3. Watching people froth at the mouth about it and the politicians slap each other round hysterically about it is only the icing on a very tasty cake

4. SKYWHALE DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOUR SAD FEELS

SKYWHALE ONLY CARES ABOUT SOARING

SOARING FREE

Public art reaches a new low.

switch said :

I for one welcome our Giant Titty Whale Overlord.

HAIL CTHULU

GardeningGirl said :

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/capital-hill/other-automotive/sky-whale-for-sale-unloved-air-vehicle/1019334404

That is pure gold.

another example how the whole centenary thing has been a giant let down.

(did you see what I did there…. balloon…. let down….. oh come on!)

but really, that thing is hideous.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/capital-hill/other-automotive/sky-whale-for-sale-unloved-air-vehicle/1019334404

I for one welcome our Giant Titty Whale Overlord.

Paul0075 said :

I think it needs a bra.

Someone owes an apology to Woody Allen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7loP7OsLZ8

Stanhope will have an orgasm when he sees this!

Please DO NOT let that thing loose on Canberra, there are small children about.

Hahaha!
Much like the ‘totally awesome and successful’ Canberra day celebrations, this is yet another example of how detached from reality the centenary ctte are!
Let me spell it out for you:
Dearth vader balloon=awesome
This=bad. Really bad.
Im guessing everything about the centenary *must* have a pretentious aspect to it, so it truly encapsulates the Canberra ethos Hahaha!

Just what Canberra’s fugly art needed, to become mobile…

Oh FFS. This is the best we can get for $170,000 ?

This monstrosity was clearly chosen by the same group responsible for all our other public ‘art’.

I think even a giant floating penis owl would be preferable to this.

Pork Hunt said :

That is the ugliest thing I have ever seen, animal, vegetable or mineral. It’s the people on the ground who need spew bags not the ones in it…

I must quote Col Kurtz “horror has a face….and you must make a friend of horror”. The apocalypse cometh!

That is the ugliest thing I have ever seen, animal, vegetable or mineral. It’s the people on the ground who need spew bags not the ones in it…

Riaction said :

So this is where Canberra Milk comes from…?

Yeah, or there’s a re-run of the old Total Recall.

It’s certainly different. I’m intrigued as to why the gigaboobs don’t float above it though – how are they held down?

Hey – since I helped to pay for it, does that mean I get to ride in it free? 😀

“Look out for The Skywhale over Canberra on Monday.

Air-rifles at the ready!!!

beardedclam said :

Should get people talking about Canberra.

As in; “have you seen what those daft bastards in Canberra have wasted a stack of money on!”

Why is there no public consultation on these money wasting ideas?

9-12 according to this. http://www.canberra100.com.au/calendar/view/1611/the-patricia-piccinini-commission-launch-/ I suppose one Canberra100 writer was looking at the transport schedule or something and another Canberra100 writer was actually thinking about the information the public are interested in. Do we have any guesses/estimates/approximations about where it will fly on Monday? (Bearing in mind that’s even more complicated by the wind.)

Riaction said :

So this is where Canberra Milk comes from…?

Haha, love it!

I think it needs a bra.

That’s a beauty, I like it. Should get people talking about Canberra.

So this is where Canberra Milk comes from…?