Responding to Public Sculpture – Blow Hole by Duncan Stemler

This week we explore how the local community responds to Public Sculpture in Melbourne, focusing in particular on “Blow Hole” by Duncan Stemler, installed in 2005 at Docklands.

“Blow Hole” is a 15-metre kinetic sculpture located in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct. Commissioned as part of the Docklands redevelopment, Stemler proposed the wind-powered sculpture alongside another successful work titled “Forest.”

The piece consists of a large aluminium ring and a series of varying-sized aluminium rods fitted with anodised cups at each end. These cups catch the wind, causing the rods to rotate and animate the structure.

The Nature of Kinetic Sculpture

When kinetic sculptures are successful, they can be incredibly compelling. Their constant movement introduces a dynamic quality that static, inanimate sculptures simply cannot achieve. The shifting form creates a sense of unpredictability and interaction with the surrounding environment.

However, an important consideration with kinetic works is how they perform when still. A strong public sculpture must retain visual interest even in moments of inactivity. In the case of “Blow Hole,” while it is undeniably eye catching when in motion, one might question whether it achieves the same impact when stationary.

Can a sculpture that is only fully effective part of the time be considered a truly great public artwork? It’s an interesting debate.

Public Art & Community Response

When the Docklands precinct was completed, the broader community response to the 30-odd public art installations was that, collectively, they felt somewhat conservative. None were widely criticised as poor works, yet few were considered particularly bold or ground breaking.

This, however, reflects the inherent nature of public art. Community response is unpredictable, and its true impact is often only realised after installation. Public art is meant to spark discussion. In that sense, a controversial piece that divides opinion may ultimately be more successful than a safe, technically sound work that inspires little conversation at all.