Public Sculpture. Love it or hate it?

Even today, when there are public sculptures appearing on almost every corner, contemporary sculpture in the public realm is often met with resistance.

Not every artwork is immediately embraced by the wider community. In fact, some works that are not considered “great” or are labelled as “failures” can still profoundly influence the way we think about art, place and public space.

A well known example is “Vault”, more commonly referred to as the “Yellow Peril,” by Ron Robertson-Swann. This abstract minimalist sculpture was originally commissioned for Melbourne City Square and installed in May 1980.

Its bold geometric form was widely considered unsympathetic to its surroundings, and the cost was criticised as excessive and wasteful. Public and media backlash quickly followed. After approximately seven months, and significant controversy, the sculpture was removed.

At the time, many regarded “Vault” as a failure. Yet it achieved something remarkable: it united government bodies, local council, media and the broader community in debate over its purpose, value and place within the city. And bringing all of those parties together, even in disagreement, is no small achievement.

The following year, “Vault” was relocated to Batman Park before eventually finding its current home at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Southbank.

Uniting a community in conversation is hardly a failure. It may not be the only reason public sculpture is important, but at Lump, we believe it’s one of the most powerful places to begin.