New installation at Fed Square an ‘almost repulsive’ take on surveillance

A new installation coming to Fed Square is certain to attract a lot of eyeballs during the venue’s winter program.

An “almost repulsive” sculpture featuring lots of “lizard-like” eyes will dominate Federation Square during the venue’s winter activities program.

Dubbed The Eyes, the 10m inflatable head has a surveillance theme, with the square’s management hoping it will get Melburnians asking “what am I watching and who is watching me?”.

It’s created by British art outfit ‘Cool Shit’, who describe themselves as a team of nonconformists “making larger-than-life inflatable sculptures, event props, and thought-provoking production concepts”.

Group member Danger Dave said he wanted the artwork to provoke a sense of being watched by technology, “but in a light-hearted tongue and cheek way”.

“The main sculpture is beautifully crafted with smooth and sensual forms, but at the same time it’s almost repulsive to look at with its multitude of eyes and distorted features,” he told the Herald Sun.

“I hope the public can find harmony in the chaos.”

Dave said that consumers happy to volunteer all sorts of information to social media companies was represented in the sculpture as “the eyes looking in on you”.

“The bust represents our scattered attention, our inability to focus,” he said.

Commissioned for an undisclosed sum by Fed Square, The Eyes will be on display for five weeks from July 1 for the winter program Anything But Square: Under Surveillance.

Visitors will be able to share a video of their experience and snap themselves wearing a special filter of the “googly, animated eyes”.

Indigenous artist Kent Morris in front of his sculpture Unvanished, recently displayed at Fed Square. Picture: Supplied.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said that as the nation’s cultural capital, Melbourne hosts eye-catching works from here and abroad.

“Some of that art can be more provocative than others, and that’s a great thing,” she said.

Fed Square chief experience officer Suzana Bishop said the precinct was buzzing with experiences for all types of people, and it was time to invite curiosity into the Square.

“The theme of surveillance will spark curiosity and encourage the community to explore Fed Square’s kaleidoscope of experiences,” she said.

Other winter events include RISING festival performance The Invisible Opera on June 10-11, Indigenous exhibition Barring-Nganjin: Our Path Our Journey running until August 28, and Walk to the ‘G for the Big Freeze event on Monday.

Recently displayed at the Square was a neon sign-type sculpture topped with cockatoos called Unvanished by Aboriginal artist Kent Morris.