Public artworks in storage
Since 2021 two prominent City of Perth public artworks have been removed from their original display locations for public safety reasons. Both have been rehoused in secure storage locations.
The Ore Obelisk was removed from Stirling Gardens in 2021 and The Arch, which was located at the intersection of Lake Street and James Street, Northbridge, was removed in 2023.
Ore Obelisk
The Ore Obelisk was installed in Stirling Gardens in 1971 as a monument to Western Australia’s rich mining heritage.
In 2016, a piece of stone fell from the structure which initiated the start of a regular monitoring process of the piece.
In January 2020, an 80kg piece of stone fell from a height of 4m from the sculpture.
Following that incident, a structural engineer’s investigation noted the degrading condition of the Ore Obelisk and it was raised with the Cultural Advisory Committee’s Public Art Subcommittee in September 2020.
The family of the artist – Paul Ritter – was also advised in October 2020.
As part of the regular monitoring process, the City’s Public Art maintenance contractor along with a structural engineer in March 2021 found that the artwork had degraded even further.
The structural engineer report indicated:
“There is currently an unacceptable risk due to rockfall”
“In summary, the piece is at the end of its serviceable life and requires full replacement or major refurbishment works.”
Noting that several of the levels were at immediate risk of further rock falls, it was recommended the Ore Obelisk be removed for safety reasons while future options were investigated.
In April 2021 the Ore Obelisk was removed and relocated.
Options for its future are being investigated and will be informed by a report, currently under way, into the condition of the piece. It will also give the City a realistic cost estimate of future work.
The Arch
The Arch was installed between 2009 and 2010 at the intersection of James and Lake streets, Northbridge.
In 2019, a truck hit the artwork and caused minor damage.
Via routine inspection it was noted that the quality of the external panels was deteriorating.
In June 2023, a piece of cladding fell off the structure into traffic leaving the base of the artwork exposed.
An initial quote was provided by the artist for remedial work only to replace some of the panels.
Subsequent engineering investigations identified more significant issues relating to the artwork’s condition and a subsequent cost estimate of $193,000 was provided by the artist to the City.
The City’s Public Art maintenance contractors and an engineer’s report provided in August 2023 contained the following statements:
“Primary Structural framing….is severely corroded, requiring substantive remediation.’”
“...baseplate is exhibiting advanced corrosion and sectional losses.”
“We consider in situ repair of the primary steelwork and subframing to be impractical because the roundabout would need to be closed for a prolonged duration”.
Consultation with the artist was undertaken in relation to the artwork’s future. In addition, the City engaged with neighbouring businesses and there were no objections to removing The Arch.
In September 2023, The Arch was removed and placed in storage the following month.
The quote for full refurbishment provided by the artist does not include itemised costs for installation, transport and traffic, noise and pedestrian management, or project contingencies.
Allowing for these costs the City’s estimate for total re-installation would be closer to $250,000.
The Arch has not been deaccessioned and is still part of the City of Perth Cultural Collections. It is currently in secure storage and was last inspected in March 2025.
Any plans for refurbishment and re-installation would have to occur with consideration of the James Street revitalisation project, which is at concept design stage. It wouldn’t be practical to consider returning the artwork to its prior location until that design work has been completed.
Conclusion
Both the Ore Obelisk and The Arch are important pieces of the City’s rich and vast public art collection, which is worth around $19 million and contains 97 three dimensional artworks.
Our art and cultural collections give us, the people of Perth and Western Australia, the opportunity to celebrate who we are and where we have come from.
We are lucky to be the custodians of our incredible cultural collections and we take our obligations seriously.
FAQs
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Was a significance assessment undertaken for the Ore Obelisk before its removal? If so, will Council make public the results?The artwork’s significance was never in question and it remains as an accessioned item in the City of Perth Cultural Collections. The artwork was removed based on recommendations from structural engineers due to significant safety concerns.
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Was a conservation plan developed for the Ore Obelisk? If so, can it be made publicly available?The City had been monitoring the condition of the Ore Obelisk since 2016. Prior to its removal the work was cared for as part of the City’s public art maintenance program. Information that informs preventative and active conservation considerations relating to future work is included in the 2021 report.
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What is the City's current plan and timeline for the Ore Obelisk, which has been in storage for four years?Options for the Ore Obelisk’s future will be informed by engineering assessment currently underway.
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Why was The Arch removed instead of being repaired in situ, when a repair quote under $50,000 was provided?An initial quote was provided by the artist for remedial work only to replace some of the panels. Subsequent engineering investigations identified more significant issues relating to the artwork’s condition and a subsequent cost estimate of $193,000 was provided by the artist to the City. A structural inspection report stated “Primary Structural framing….is severely corroded, requiring substantive remediation”, meaning work could not take place in situ.
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Why did the cost of acquiring and installing The Boonji Spaceman increase from an initial quote of $50,000 to $171,000?At the 25 June 2024 Ordinary Council Meeting Council unanimously endorsed the Notice of Motion to allocate a budget of $250,000 to the acquisition and installation of the artwork. This budget incorporates City direct costs as well as the quote to internationally transport and install the artwork.
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Why is the City funding the artist's travel, accommodation, and an opening event linked to a private exhibition?The City is not funding any travel, accommodation or an opening event related to the artist or a private exhibition.
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Why is this artwork relevant to Perth?The artwork is a celebration of Perth’s strong connection to space exploration and in particular John Glenn’s triple orbit of the Earth in 1962, and identity of Perth as a City of Light.
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Why didn’t the City purchase or commission artworks from local artists?
The City of Perth has not purchased or commissioned The Boonji Spaceman. It is a gift to the City by the artist Brendan Murphy.
The City is, however, paying for its transportation and installation which will cost around $250,000. This was a unanimous decision of council.
A recent example of a similar request is the Light It Up program (completed in 2023) which saw the City commission five local artists to create illuminated public artworks installed in various locations across the city.
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Why was The Boonji Spaceman acquisition approved despite it being a mass-produced artwork, inconsistent with Public Art Policy?
Accepting The Boonji Spaceman artwork as a gift is in line with the City's Public Art and Cultural Collections policies which states that public art in the City of Perth will ‘showcase the best of contemporary Western Australian, Australian and international art, encouraging new ideas and the application of new technologies and approaches’.
The Boonji Spaceman also satisfies the City’s Public Arts policy in relation to relevance as the work relates to the 1962 triple orbit of the Earth by American astronaut John Glenn and the subsequent identity of Perth as being a ‘City of Light’. Its temporary installation close to Council House connects it to the role of the City of Perth in the 1962 event and the City’s brand as a ‘City of Light’.
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Does The Boonji Spaceman have international significance?The work is by US artist Brendan Murphy who has created other similar large spacemen artworks in the Boonji series which have been installed in Oslo, London, the Bahamas and Dubai.
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Why is The Boonji Spaceman going where the Ore Obelisk used to be?
The Ore Obelisk was removed in 2021 following advice from engineers that it was unsafe and posed a risk to public safety. An 80kg piece of rock fell from the structure, which was installed in 1971.
The extent of the work that needs to be carried out on this artwork is significant. The City was advised by engineers that, given the artwork's age and current state, it would require full replacement or major refurbishment works.
The Ore Obelisk is currently in secure storage and the City has recently engaged engineers to undertake a new assessment of the work so options for its future may be investigated further.
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How many new public artworks has the City commissioned since adopting the Public Art Strategy in 2015?Since 2015 the City has commissioned 11 three-dimensional public artworks and approximately 30 murals that remain active.
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Why has a Public Art Master Plan not been developed, as committed in the Strategy?A review of the Public Art Strategy is currently underway and the requirement for a Public Art Masterplan will be considered as part of that review.