One Nation MLC Sarah Game’s petition over ‘confronting’ nude sculptures at Art Gallery of SA

A petition has been launched to move “confusing and confronting” artwork to an adults-only area of an Adelaide gallery – dividing readers in our poll. Have your say.

One Nation parliamentarian Sarah Game has raised the alarm over “inappropriate” nude sculptures at the Art Gallery of SA, calling for them to be moved to an adults-only area.

Ms Game said she had been contacted by a concerned constituent who was left “shocked” by the statues during a visit to the gallery with their seven-year-old nephew – but AGSA says it won’t be removing the works.

One of the artworks is a life-size bronze sculpture of transgender activist Buck Angel, called ‘Buck with Cigar’, by British artist Marc Quinn, while the other is Australian artist Patricia Piccinini’s ‘Big Mother’, depicting a breastfeeding humanoid creature.

Big Mother was on display from 2010 – 2011, when it was first acquired, was on intermittent display five times between 2011 – 2018 and has been in place since 2023.

Buck with Cigar has been on display since 2011.

Outspoken MLC Ms Game said she had been contacted about the artworks on Wednesday morning.

“What prompted me to act on this was constituent feedback … I got an email this morning and somebody sent me the images,” Ms Game said.

“They told me: ‘Now he’s asking me questions about why there’s a bronze man with a vagina, and I shouldn’t be having to answer those questions’.”

One Nation MLC Sarah Game has raised the alarm over an "inappropriate" sculpture display at the Art Gallery of SA. Picture: Supplied

Patricia Piccinini’s ‘Big Mother’ and Marc Quinn’s ‘Buck with Cigar’ sparked concerns for a constituent, Ms Game said. Picture: Supplied

Ms Game has launched a petition for the exhibition to be relocated to an “adults-only zone”, saying the gallery needed to “ensure our children’s environment remains appropriate and family-friendly”.

“If you’re a parent and your grandparents or child’s school are taking them to the Art Gallery, you want to know if it’s a family-friendly space or not,” she said.

“At the moment, I’d say it’s not, because there’s no warning that these artworks are there.

“If you want to view other classical or religious art, you have to go past this art which would be, in many people’s opinion, confusing and confronting for children.”

Ms Game said, while she supported “freedom of speech”, she believed that parents should be “given a choice about what their children see”.

“Why should the choice be taken away from you about whether or not you want to see very provocative images and whether you want your children exposed to those provocative images?” she said.

“That is not, in my opinion, a family safe area at the moment, and that is funded by the taxpayer.

“If you don’t even know that those images are going to be there, how are you going to be prepared to have the appropriate conversation with them when they get home?”

An AGSA spokesperson said the works would not be removed from public display, saying the organisation firmly supported the rights of artists and believed in “preserving and celebrating diverse cultural expressions”.

The Art Gallery has staunchly defended its artists in the wake of Ms Game’s criticisms. Picture: Keryn Stevens

They said AGSA did not believe the sculptures were unsuitable for viewing by children.

“We prepare our visitors including school groups and encourage pre-visits from teachers and educators. When required we issue sensory, cultural and content warnings,” they said.

“Art at AGSA is curated to spark conversation and debate, and sometimes may be controversial. It is the role of artists and galleries like AGSA to encourage viewers to see the world, culture, and politics from different perspectives.

“AGSA is a proud melting pot of artistic, cultural and intellectual views. We acknowledge that art is often the best platform for having challenging conversations.”

In a response to Ms Game’s petition, one AGSA visitor said they were “happy and proud” that the Buck with Cigar sculpture was on display.

“I just want to say I love that sculpture of Buck, (and) I am so sorry that the culture wars are headed this way,” they said.

Originally published as One Nation MLC Sarah Game’s petition over ‘confronting’ nude sculptures at Art Gallery of SA