Calls to remove a controversial artwork described by residents as a “visual atrocity” have been silenced after a city mayor launched a fierce defence.
The installation titled ‘Illawarra Placed Landscape’ or better known to locals as ‘palm tree on a pole’ was created by New Zealand artist Mike Hewson.
The controversial work is a permanent public asset located near the Crown Street shopping centre in Wollongong, a coastal city about 90 kilometres south of Sydney.
The project, which cost approximately $500,000 from conception to completion, was commissioned by Wollongong City Council in 2015 and installed in 2017.
The centrepiece of the 230-metre installation is the infamous 17-metre-high “palm pole” – an uprooted living palm tree suspended from a telegraph pole.
The divisive artwork has been the subject of heated debate in the council.
Outgoing councillor Dom Figliomeni tabled a motion calling for the palm tree to be removed “as soon as possible” in July this year.
“I’ll take my bulletproof vest first,” said Councillor Figliomeni when introducing the motion.
The controversial work (pictured) is a permanent public asset located near the Crown Street shopping centre in Wollongong, a coastal city about 90km south of Sydney.
On New Year’s Day 2022, the expensive installation survived an arson attack when a lit firecracker was thrown into its base and engulfed the artwork in flames (pictured).
Cr Figliomeni said it would cost the council about $1 million to remove the palm tree and surrounding sandstone blocks.
Maintaining the work costs $35,000 a year, including renting a special platform to reach the tree, maintaining the irrigation system and engineering certifications.
“I understand there will be some passionate discussions as a result, but I think in the long term, there are real advantages to the council taking the decision to say we should get rid of it,” Cr Figliomeni said.
But Mayor Gordon Bradbery responded to plans to remove the palm tree, arguing that in terms of what the council normally spends on art, $35,000 for maintenance was not unusual.
“There’s our art gallery where I think we spent something like $90,000 restoring a piece of art,” he said at the meeting.
‘You’re talking about $35,000 for outdoor art. You don’t know anything about art.’
The motion to remove the palm tree from a pole was defeated, with only councillors Figliomeni and former rugby player John Dorahy voting in favour.
The installation titled ‘Illawarra Placed Landscape’ or better known to locals as ‘palm tree on a pole’ was created by New Zealand artist Mike Hewson (the artwork is pictured)
The artwork has also generated mixed reviews on social media.
“Some councils spend money on sidewalks, others declare bankruptcy or build ridiculous swimming pools, others even declare a tree a criminal and hang it in the town square,” one person wrote in a Reddit thread.
“Is this a joke about Australia being upside down when they had to secure the tree to the pole to stop it falling into the sky?” another joked.
“As ugly as this art installation is, I still love it simply for the fact that the local council spent so much money on this visual atrocity that it becomes a really cool art installation on how local councils should allocate funds,” said a third.
“The amount of coverage this tree has received over the years has justified the reason it was placed there in the first place,” shared a fourth.
On New Year’s Day 2022, the palm tree survived an arson attack when a lit firecracker was thrown at its base, engulfing the artwork in flames.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Wollongong City Council for comment.
