The statue II by iandsmith
The art world weren't having none of this. The then Curator of Sculpture at the NGV, reports Alleyn Best, "praised Malvern Councillors for their 'sense of adventure.' Declaring that the statues are 'homogenous to the buildings and complement the town hall', he also considered their importance to local traders, explaining that 'the gestures of the statues pointed to the antique shops one way, to the restaurants the other.'" (I love that last sentence best of any part of this story.)
Sixteen years later, I have heard that it is not unusual for an upstanding member of the Armadale or Malvern community, paying their rates notice or animal registration at the town hall, to also take a moment to inform council workers that the statues across the road are diabolical objects straight out of the Pit. The sculptures have been on the National Trust Register - the Trust entry is worth looking at if you're interested in this sort of stuff - since 1994, because supposedly for future generations "this work will be seen as the first Post Modern sculpture in Melbourne."
The National Trust don't specify what they mean by "Post Modern." I suspect they have in mind the 1980s fashion for historical pastiche. Whatever. I think it's true that this is a very adventurous piece of public art, but, to be brutally honest, that doesn't make it any less uggerly, or naff.I am indebted here to "Laura" whose site I unearthed, and unashamedly reproduce here, while googling for Juraszek. She has three things that I liked. She's feminine, opinionated and witty so I decided to share all that with you.
Sadly, I don't agree with her sentiments about this particular sculpture. I vividly remember the similar controversy that erupted over Newcastle's fountain in Civic Park but now people love it.
I found this sculpture served a few purposes: 1. By its very existence it promotes the arts; 2. It's certainly eyecatching; 3. It's definitely different (and, after seeing a 100 similar religious paintings in Italy, believe me, different is good) 4. It's placed where people can see it. 5. It promotes conversation about the arts.
