By Councillor Scott
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
it is
important that the City affirms its support for equality
of gender, First Nations and cultural diversity within the City of Sydney’s
City public art strategy and Public Art Policy;
(ii)
the
City’s 2011 ‘City Art public art strategy’, draws on the Sustainable Sydney
2030 plan to commit to eight guiding principles for public art;
(iii)
the
City Art program is responsible for commissioning major stand-alone permanent public
artworks that are integrated with our capital works projects and temporary
public art programs;
(iv)
since
2005 the City’s public art program has focused on inclusion, working with
artists and curators of different genders and cultural backgrounds, including
four female curators;
(v)
the City’s art program also
includes managing and caring for a collection of over 250 permanent works and
operating a conservation program. As well as, looking after plaques and
memorials, issues associated with murals and graffiti, and the assessment of
public art proposals in private developments during the development application
process;
(vi)
among the collection is over sixty works created by women artists,
over twenty works on women as the subject matter, and many other artworks that
shine a light on the many diverse cultures in our city;
(vii)
recently
commissioned works that celebrate the efforts, practices and histories of women
are:
(viii)
bara by
Judy Watson (2022) brings to light the importance of First Nations women’s
relationship to Warrane – Sydney Harbour;
(ix)
Patchwork
of Light by Lara Schnitger (2019) celebrates feminist
activism and the advancement of women in civic life in Australia; and
(x)
the Second World War Servicewomen Memorial by
Dennis Adams (1990) is dedicated to the wartime servicewomen of NSW Women;
(xi)
of the
43 permanent public artworks the City has commissioned
or acquired, since the appointment of the Public Art Advisory Panel in
2007, 35 are by women, which is approximately 80 pr cent. These commissions
contribute to rebalancing a collection that dates back to 1818;
(xii)
the
projects and programs of the City Art program are guided by the City’s Public
Art Advisory Panel;
(xiii)
the
City has established the ‘Eora Journey: Recognition in the public domain’ that
commits to creating works of national significance by Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander artists and designers to celebrate the First Peoples of
Australia in our global city;
(xiv)
four
public works have been commissioned under the Eora Journey, including
‘Conversations along Sydney’s Harbour’ most recently. The project commemorates Patyegarang’s gift of the Aboriginal language to William
Dawes, requested by Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council;
(xv)
the City public art strategy explicates that opportunities exist
to work with other major art institutions to share expertise, resources and
program ideas for funding City Art projects; and
(xvi)
there
are six statues of women in the City of Sydney. This includes two of Queen
Victoria, while the statues of cricketer Belinda Clark and athletes Betty
Cuthbert and Marlene Mathews are placed within the Sydney Cricket Ground precinct;
(B)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
collaborate
with the research being undertaken by A Monument of One’s Own;
(ii)
work
with the Public Art Advisory Panel to identify new opportunities within City of
Sydney projects, programs and capital works to support
increased equality of gender, First Nations and cultural diversity within the
public realm, including the installation of statues and art held in storage
with reference to the Public Art Policy and City Art Public Art Strategy; and
(iii)
work
with the panel, stakeholders, and the community to enable the delivery of at
least three new statues depicting women; and
(C)
the
Public Art Advisory Panel be requested to consider the following when providing
advice to Council on the development, presentation, and promotion of public art
activities and when assessing applications from individuals and groups wishing
to formally recognise significant local people:
(i)
identifying
new opportunities to commemorate significant women from Sydney’s history; and
(ii)
prioritising
artistic responses that include the figurative depiction of women when considering
the installation of statues and memorials commemorating significant women from
Sydney’s history.
Note
– at the meeting of Council, the content of the original Notice of Motion was
varied by Councillor Scott. Subsequently it was –
Moved
by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Weldon –
It is resolved that:
(A) Council note:
(i)
it is
important that the City continues to affirm its
support for equality of gender, First Nations and cultural diversity within the
City of Sydney’s City public art strategy and Public Art Policy;
(ii)
the
City’s 2011 ‘City Art public art strategy’, draws on the Sustainable Sydney
2030 plan to commit to eight guiding principles for public art;
(iii)
the
City Art program is responsible for commissioning major stand-alone permanent public
artworks that are integrated with our capital works projects and temporary
public art programs;
(iv)
since
2005 the City’s public art program has focused on inclusion, working with
artists and curators of different genders and cultural backgrounds, including
four female curators;
(v)
the City’s art program also
includes managing and caring for a collection of over 250 permanent works and
operating a conservation program. As well as, looking after plaques and
memorials, issues associated with murals and graffiti, and the assessment of
public art proposals in private developments during the development application
process;
(vi)
among the collection is over sixty works created by women artists,
over twenty works on women as the subject matter, and many other artworks that
shine a light on the many diverse cultures in our city;
(vii)
artworks
in the City of Sydney art collection by women celebrating and commemorating the
efforts, practices and histories of women include:
(a)
Earth
Mother by Anita Aarons (1952) specifically created for the pleasure and
education of children;
(b)
Folly
for Mrs Macquarie by Fiona Hall (1999) which acknowledges the historical
Elizabeth Macquarie while simultaneously commenting on the follies of colonialism;
(c)
Lamp
for Mary by Mikala Dwyer (2011) which responds to an act of violence by
creating a poignant tribute to all women who have experienced violence, increasing safety, and acting as a sign of resilience and
hope;
(d)
bara by
Judy Watson (2022) brings to light the importance of First Nations women’s relationship
to Warrane – Sydney Harbour; and
(e)
Patchwork of Light by Lara Schnitger
(2019) celebrates feminist activism and the advancement of women in civic life
in Australia;
(viii)
the collection also includes the Second World War
Servicewomen Memorial by Dennis Adams (1990), a traditional figurative
sculpture, dedicated to the wartime servicewomen of NSW Women;
(ix)
of the
43 permanent public artworks the City has commissioned
or acquired, since the appointment of the Public Art Advisory Panel in
2007, 35 are by women, which is approximately 80 pr cent. These commissions
contribute to rebalancing a collection that dates back to 1818;
(iii) significantly, almost none of these artworks are traditional figurative sculptures, with the artists who created them being free to exercise their imaginations and talents without being restricted to specific artforms such as traditional figurative sculpture;
(x)
the
projects and programs of the City Art program are guided by the City’s Public
Art Advisory Panel;
(xi)
the
City has established the ‘Eora Journey: Recognition in the public domain’ that
commits to creating works of national significance by Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander artists and designers to celebrate the First Peoples of
Australia in our global city;
(xii)
four
public works have been commissioned under the Eora Journey, including
‘Conversations along Sydney’s Harbour’ most recently. The project commemorates Patyegarang’s gift of the Aboriginal language to William
Dawes, requested by Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council;
(xiii)
the City public art strategy explicates that opportunities exist
to work with other major art institutions to share expertise, resources and
program ideas for funding City Art projects; and
(xiv)
there
are six statues of women in the City of Sydney. This includes two of Queen
Victoria, while the statues of cricketer Belinda Clark and athletes Betty
Cuthbert and Marlene Mathews are placed within the Sydney Cricket Ground precinct;
(B)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
collaborate
with the research being undertaken by A Monument of One’s Own by providing
information about artworks in the City art collection
created by women artists and/or celebrating and/or commemorating the efforts,
practices and histories of women;
(ii)
work
with the Public Art Advisory Panel to identify new opportunities within City of
Sydney projects, programs and capital works to support
increased equality of gender, First Nations and cultural diversity within the
public realm, including the installation of statues and art held in storage
with reference to the Public Art Policy and City Art Public Art Strategy; and
(iii)
work
with the panel, stakeholders, and the community to enable the delivery of at
least three new artworks celebrating, commemorating or depicting women which
may include but not be restricted to figurative sculptures;
(C)
the
Public Art Advisory Panel be requested to consider the following when providing
advice to Council on the development, presentation, and promotion of public art
activities and when assessing applications from individuals and groups wishing
to formally recognise significant local people:
(i)
identifying
new opportunities to commemorate significant women from Sydney’s history;
(ii)
allowing
for artistic responses that may include the figurative depiction of women when
considering the installation of artworks commemorating significant women from
Sydney’s history; and
(iv) the
need for a continued rebalancing of artworks in the public domain including
addressing the overwhelming majority of traditional
figurative statues depicting male figures; and
(D) Council endorse as a fundamental principle the over-riding importance of artists being free to exercise their imaginations and talents in creating new artworks in order to ensure the continued excellence of the City Art collection.
Carried
unanimously.
X086655