Murray Bridge art project concept design slammed by councillors

A public art concept design has been labelled “daggy-looking junk” and a “hillbilly bloody sketch” by unimpressed Murray Bridge councillors.

The concept artwork proposed for Sturt Reserve in Murray Bridge.

A Murray Bridge public art concept design has been described as a “hillbilly bloody sketch” by unimpressed councillors.

At Monday’s Rural City of Murray Bridge council meeting, elected members were asked to approve the concept design for new artwork set to be installed at Sturt Reserve with a $70,000 budget. The project is intended to celebrate the region’s farming history.

However, several councillors criticised the proposed design, described by one elected member as “a leaf with a few bits of steel cut off with farm animals”. The council and design studio will now engage in further consultation.

Wills Projects’ presentation for the concept design ‘Until the Cows Come Home’ said the leaf symbol represented growth and production, life and breath.

“This oversized leaf has become a canvas for a patchwork of paddocks and farms telling the story of Murray Bridge agriculture with layers of narrative imbued in a map of the area,” the design team said.

Wills Projects’ Laura Wills said it was “unfortunate” the design missed the mark with council.

“We always produce work that can be acceptable on different layers, it carries narrative from a distance and up close. (We) always heavily research the site, the area and create work that bares meaning, creates delight or surprise,” she said.

“Maybe (the elected members) should work directly with an artist and come up with an idea together and have more input and ownership.”

Cr Airlie Keen said the project needed to go back to the drawing board and proposed a motion to return it to a “stakeholder consultation” phase.

Murray Bridge councillor Airlie Keen at Sturt Reserve in Murray Bridge. Picture: Michael Marschall

Cr Clem Schubert agreed and was damning of the proposed design, describing it as “daggy-looking junk”.

“After seeing that I was appalled,” he said.

“I felt saddened to think we could put this hillbilly bloody sketch together … if that’s the way we acknowledge the pioneers who came here and developed this country … it’s not a really great reward.”

Fellow councillor John DeMichele was just as underwhelmed.

“I don’t think this is the right sculpture at this stage … to me there is no wow factor and obviously having a leaf with a few bits of steel cut off with farm animals is a bit kind of too simple,” Cr DeMichele said.

“I think this town has more depth more history we haven’t tapped into … we are underselling our inspirational sculpture we were trying to set.”

Cr Keen’s altered motion to “progress to stakeholder consultation” for the project was carried unanimously.

“What is clearly missing is consultation with our farming community and stakeholders … if we don’t do this correctly we sell our community short,” she said.

“If we don’t intervene in this process now I think we can all imagine the community reaction.”