[First filed: September 05, 2008 @ 13:00]
Being privileged to work among the windswept canyons of north Woden, I have the opportunity to pass one of the Government’s sites for new public artwork nearly every day. What you see here is exactly how the site has been for the past three months – a half arsed, abandoned or forgotten shambles that obstructs more than half of the walkway for no good reason.
Back in April/May there was work feverishly occurring at the site, and a sculptured person of indeterminate gender made of metal plates was placed where you see the metal rod for a few weeks. He or she was wrapped in a roll of carpet-like material while work progressed. Then it disappeared – possibly never to be seen again.
Finally I realised – Reprobate, you fool!!! What you see here IS the new artwork!!!
Clearly, the fencing symbolises the disconnect between the community and the Government. The waste of space and inconvenience imposed on the citizenry speaks of the structure of our local Assembly. The pile of sand, ever shifting, represents the foundations upon which the public’s trust is based. The marble paving hints at the exceses of prior empires, with the unfinished work and random stacking of the slabs a metaphor for major local infrastructure projects like the GDE. The safety cones reflect a warning to the community of voting for a majority government ever again. Finally, the centrepiece of a bloody big spike speaks of the Government’s “get this up ya” attitude to any questioning of it’s glorious activities, particularly school closures.
Trouble is, I don’t know what it is called. Ideas?
UPDATED: The RiotACT investigations unit, aka The Canberra Times has unravelled the mystery:
- ArtsACT director David Whitney said the work had ”quite a wobble on it” when it was installed and needed some repairs, having to be removed twice from its location.
Mr Whitney said there were fears the artwork could not be secured adequately, although he was waiting on advice from the artist.
The sculpture was not the original one the Government had wanted to purchase, which was sold to another party. The design was similar but ”not as robust” as the original.
SNAFU then?
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