The Worst of Perth

Worst Sculpture/Public Art

Interesting to wonder how public art gets commissioned in Perth. From the popular press it would seem that the public doesn’t want anything at all. The most non-confronting of proposals is routinely howled down. Yet at the same time much is made of the city’s dullness. How does this effect what ultimately does get made? Take this piece for example, hidden away, in the little visited (by me at least) river area of Maylands. Has meddling by the council or public resulted in such a disaster, or is it an inappropriate issuing of an artistic licence that is to blame? Surely the council or city patrons didn’t ask for an indigenous theme with the caveat that the sculpture must give the impression of scratching its arse? I couldn’t find the plaque for this, so a Maylandian may be able to help me. It does look suspiciously like the work of Vic Markovic, who we have seen in Cimbali’s submitted public art walking tour of Kalamunda, parts 1, & 3, but who knows. How did we get to this, and how does an artist who would make this, get to do it to us again?

Oh, and artist, please make sure that the arse is massive too. To find this piece, look up Maylands Tennis Club. You will see it on the left as you approach. By the way, that is a kangaroo ahead. I couldn’t bear to see if it was fiddling with its pouch. This viewis from the road side. Looks less embarrassing from other angles, but really, it should never have this angle at all.

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