What do you think of Glenelg’s newest sculpture, the Sesquipedalian Sea Squirt?

A sea sculpture which drizzles water when people get too close has been unveiled at the Bay – but it’s the critics who are squirming. What do you think?

A multi-coloured, illuminated sculpture designed to light up and squirt water when visitors get close has raised eyebrows in Glenelg, but many think the surrealist art fulfils its intended purpose.

The 3m tall, Sesquipedalian Sea Squirt was unveiled on Friday at the official opening of the $3.6m Chapel Plaza redevelopment.

Hills artist Michael Kutschbach designed the work to “arouse curiosity”, and said the “squirts” of water symbolise sea squirts found at Glenelg beach.

“They’re filter feeders so in terms of the environment, these creatures are the first to show signs of stress in the water environment,” Mr Kutschbach said.

The artist said the permanent sculpture also aimed to highlight climate change and the damaged relationship between humanity and the earth.

Viewers say the squirts are more of a drizzle than a jet of water.

It features a long list of curious public artworks around Adelaide, from the giant stainless steel pigeon in Rundle Mall to the giant chimpanzee finger at Adelaide Zoo.

SEE OUR LIST OF OTHER CURIOUS PUBLIC ARTWORKS AROUND ADELAIDE

City of Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson said reaction to the piece had been polarising.

“Some people don’t like it and other people love it,” Mayor Wilson said.

“It’s surrealist art, it’s intended for people to think about it.

“We’re hopeful that the conversation will start and people will think about what it means.

“We have a lot of art on the esplanade which reflects our beach environment, this does the same but just in a surrealist way.”

Sesquipedalian Sea Squirt. Picture: City of Holdfast Bay

Artist Michael Kutschbach. Picture: City of Holdfast Bay

Ms Wilson said the squirt was already adored by children and hoped viewers deeply considered the meaning of the piece.

“Sea squirts are that brightly coloured in certain parts of Australia, they’re such an important thing for the marine environment,” she said.

“Once people find out there are 200 species of sea squirts off the South Australian coastline, deeper questions arise, how are they being affected by climate change.”

The unveiling drew mixed responses online with the now-permanent sculpture dividing the community.

“Thoughtless waste of ratepayers’ money; the sculpture is revolting,” Sonja Pugh wrote. “The car parks should’ve been kept and been used as disabled carparks for the community.”

Billy Bob wrote: “It’s disgusting, and as a ratepayer, I don’t recall any consult(ation) on it.”

Another asked: “Is that ice cream with a touch of calamari? Not liking this at all sorry.”

Others were happy to see the creativity.

“I think it’s clever and different with beautiful colours, it’s definitely going to get people talking as well as attracting people and getting people laughing as well,” Rachel Anne wrote. “I think it’s great.”

The sculpture is at Chapel Plaza – a project part funded by a $1.8m state government planning and development fund grant.

The last time a sculpture caused this much conversation was the a giant 2m stainless steel pigeon unveiled in Rundle Mall in 2020.

ADELAIDE’S MOST TALKED-ABOUT SCULPTURES

Blackfriars Priory School

Blackfriars Priory School’s statue of St Martin de Porres.

This statue was so controversial it made headlines all around the world back in 2017.

The unfortunately “suggestive” statue of St Martin de Porres at Blackfriars Priory School, showed St Martin de Porres handing a young boy a loaf of bread, which appears to have emerged from his cloak.

The Prospect school was forced to cover the statue with a black cloth just days after its unveiling.

The Malls Balls

Easily the most iconic South Australian balls after FruChocs, the Malls Balls have reigned supreme in our CBD for over four decades now.

Made from a pair of larger-than-life stainless steel spheres sitting one atop the other, the artwork measures just over 4m tall and was brought to life by Vienna-born artist Bert Flugelman.

The Hindmarsh Building Society donated The Spheres to the City of Adelaide in 1977 to mark their centenary.

Many have attempted to leave their mark on the item and has been the subject of many daredevils over the years.

Earlier this year, SA’s most patriotic man showcased his sleeve of iconic brands, including the balls.

SA's most patriotic resident Josh Arbon at the Malls Balls earlier this year. Picture: Tom Huntley

The “Sculpture Garden”

The City Sign Sculpture Garden once graced the surrounds of the Adelaide Festival Centre, but ultimately left a bad taste in the city’s mouth before its removal in 2016.

Variously described as resembling everything from World War II anti-tank fortifications to a windswept canyon, the “sculpture garden’’ of sloping concrete pillars painted in geometric patterns of primary colours was the subject of controversy ever since West German sculptor Otto Herbert Hajek was commissioned to design it in 1973.

When it was unveiled by the Queen in March, 1977, then-premier Don Dunstan described the sculpture as “one of the most exciting outdoor art projects in the world’’. As early as 1978, however, the Civic Trust described it as “boring and a failure” and “a visual outrage”.

City Sign Sculpture Garden on Adelaide Festival Centre plaza.

The Pigeon

Complementing its neighbouring balls, the giant 2m stainless steel “Pigeon” or “Big Bird” to some, caused a flutter when it was unveiled last year.

The piece, located where Gawler Place meets Rundle Mall, was created by Paul Sloan and cost local ratepayers $174,000.

At the time of the unveiling, Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said the purpose of the artwork was aesthetic, but also to draw shoppers to the mall.

Like the Mall’s nearby pigs, while initial reaction was split we suspect the pigeon’s popularity will improve over time.

The stainless steel Pigeon, with Emerald Waugh in Rundle Mall last year. Picture: Tait Schmaal