Controversial Uniting a Nation sculpture must wait years to find its permanent home

It was meant to be a great artistic gift, but instead a 15m-high statue will wait for years to be installed at its permanent home - even then its future is not secure

An artist’s impression of how the Uniting A Nation sculpture could have looked at the Torrens Lake. Artwork: Ray Hirst

A giant 15m aluminium sculpture is languishing inside an Adelaide storage shed as it waits for its final home, which won’t be until 2026 and still needs state government approval.

The Uniting a Nation artwork, by Terrance Plowright, has been in storage with the Art Gallery of SA at a cost of $2500 a year since its arrival from NSW in November 2020.

“Collection storage ensures the utmost conservation care, safety and security for this sculpture until the work is installed and unveiled to the public,” the spokeswoman said.

The former Liberal government said last year the $2.35m sculpture would be installed at Lot Fourteen, on North Tce, once a permanent site becomes available.

Arts Minister Andrea Michaels told The Advertiser it was “proposed” the sculpture be installed at Lot Fourteen, on completion of its public realm works in 2026.

Ms Michaels said the site was “subject to state government planning approvals, impact assessments and permits”.

NSW philanthropist Basil Sellars commissioned the five-tonne artwork in 2013, which was originally meant to be a gift to the people of NSW for a site near Sydney Opera House.

The Uniting a Nation sculpture by Terrance Plowright

Artist Terrance Plowright.

But the “handshake” agreement with the then-arts minister George Souris instead divided the NSW government. Three NSW councils vied for the sculpture after it was snubbed by Sydney.

But Mr Sellers instead donated the four-storey artwork to South Australia as part of an ongoing program to provide the state with public art.

It was trucked down from the Blue Mountains in NSW under police escort at the cost of the government and Adelaide City Council.

The ‘Uniting a Nation’ sculpture by Terrance Plowright is loaded by crane onto a truck .Picture: Terrance Plowright

A plan to put the artwork on a plinth in the Torrens Lake, near Pinky Flat, was abandoned after it was determined it would cost city ratepayers more than $30,000 a year to clean.

A proposal for it to go on the corner of War Memorial Drive and Montefiore Rd, near the tennis centre, was also abandoned by the council, following some elected members labelled the statute “hideous” and “like something out of (the movie) Alien vs Predator”.

The then-premier’s office stepped in to take over responsibility of the statue.

Mr Plowright, whose work includes the bronze Tayla Harris “Not just a kick” sculpture in Melbourne, was contacted by The Advertiser for comment.