Fruity sculpture at Melbourne park gives locals the pip
A Melbourne council has splashed $85,000 on a sculpture of oranges, upsetting some locals who think the money could have been better spent
READING LEVEL: GREEN
A Melbourne council has splashed $85,000 on a sculpture of oranges, outraging ratepayers* and community groups.
Bayside Council has installed the sculpture of five orange halves by artist Carla Gottgens at Peterson Reserve in the southeast suburb of Highett.
It comes after another Melbourne council, inner city Yarra Council, splurged* $22,000 on a 183cm tall banana sculpture last year. It was later removed after a vandal tried to decapitate* it with a hacksaw*.
The banana installation* made headlines around the world, with US late-night talk show host John Oliver offering to buy it.
Bayside council allocates $100,000 each year to commissioning* public artwork.
Bayside Mayor Alex del Porto, who unveiled the sculpture last week, said it brought “vibrancy* and interactivity*” to public spaces and fostered “wellbeing and inclusion”.
The artist, Ms Gottgens, said her oranges sculpture, called Half Time, was a tribute to families who participated in community sport.
“Half Time is a tribute to all the families who have braved early Saturday mornings, late winter evenings, rain, hail and shine, to watch their children or participate themselves in team sport,” she said at the unveiling of the piece of art.
But Highett West Cricket Club committee member Richard Henebery said it was “extremely frustrating” and almost in “bad taste” for the council to spend $85,000 on the sculpture.
“Community and sporting clubs have been waiting nine years (with five more to go) for our facilities to gain basic improvements,” Mr Henebery said.
“I am not against the idea of trying to improve the look and vibrancy of our community, but $85,000 on aluminium oranges when only 100m away there are dangerous and dilapidated* facilities that 99 per cent of people would label unacceptable in this day and age – it’s just not right.”
Highett resident Andrew Boot said he was “outraged” by the council’s spending on the sculpture.
“It’s going to be vandalised and graffitied in no time,” Mr Boot said.
“The council needs to focus on the important issues and give money to local sports clubs in need of new facilities. This is a waste of money.”
The area’s state member of parliament Brad Rowswell said the money should have been put towards an urgent upgrade of sporting facilities.
“A new pavilion at Peterson Reserve would be transformational* for Highett West Cricket Club, the Hampton Football Netball Club and the East Sandringham Junior Football Club, but instead Bayside Council has prioritised oranges over opportunities for locals to fully participate in the sports that they love,” the Liberal MP* said.
Mr Rowswell said the council’s plan to upgrade the Peterson Reserve pavilion by 2027 was “totally unacceptable”.
Ratepayers Victoria spokesman Dean Hurlston said the council’s spend on the sculpture was an “exorbitant*” and “disgusting” waste of ratepayers’ money.
“This money should be going to building change rooms and providing girls equitable* access to sporting facilities,” Mr Hurlston said.
Bayside Council community and customer experience director Tilla Buden said the sculpture was commissioned after community consultation* showed support for public art at the site.
She said the council was also calling for state government funding to help bring forward the redevelopment of several sporting pavilions.
GLOSSARY
- ratepayers: people who pay money to their local council so it can provide community facilities and services
- splurged: spent a lot of money
- decapitate: cut off the head
- hacksaw: a small saw used for cutting metal and other hard materials
- installation: something that has been installed or put in place
- commissioning: choosing someone to do a special piece of work
- vibrancy: the state of being full of energy, excitement and life
- interactivity: when two things have an affect on each other
- dilapidated: very run down
- transformational: bringing about a big change for the better
- MP: stands for member of parliament
- exorbitant: over the top, unreasonably high
- equitable: treating everyone equally and fairly
- consultation: the exchange of information and opinions on an issue so that it can be better understood
EXTRA READING
Is vandalising vandalism a new form of art?
Murals transform country towns
Eye spy graffiti, or is it art?
QUICK QUIZ
- How much did the sculpture of the oranges cost?
- What is the name of the artist who created the oranges sculpture?
- What is the name of the artwork?
- What other fruity artwork made headlines around the world?
- Why is Highett West Cricket Club committee member Richard Henebery upset about the sculpture?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Two sides
Write a short summary of the two different sides to this controversial topic. Who is on each side? What do they think and why?
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Civics and Citizenship
2. Extension
Write a proposal for Bayside Council that you think would strike a “happy medium” that would please more members of the community.
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Civics and Citizenship
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.
Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.
Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?
Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.