Owl (Armstrong)

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Wikipedia

Owl by Bruce Armstrong

Owl, informally known as the Belconnen Owl or the Penis Owl,[1] is a sculpture 8 m (26 ft) tall,[2] designed by the Australian sculptor Bruce Armstrong, located in the Belconnen District of Canberra, Australia; it depicts a powerful owl (Ninox strenua).[3]

Built in 2011 and made of concrete,[4] it is celebrated as one of numerous "big things" in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).[5][6]

Reception

The owl's form has been lampooned for having a phallic shape, especially when viewed from behind.[4] It has become a tourist attraction; the Australian politician Tara Cheyne called it a "must see".[1][7] The work has been nicknamed the "penis owl",[8] "the Great Penis Owl of Belconnen",[1][9][10] and "the Great Penis Owl of Canberra".[11][12]

The statue has attracted graffiti; the ACT government spent A$3000 on cleaning it in the year prior to July 2017, and said they planned to install CCTV cameras to discourage and capture future vandalism.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Molloy, Shannon (28 December 2019). "From the 'Penis Owl' to the stolen bull testicles, these are Australia's strangest statues". news.com.au. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  2. 1 2 Burgess, Katie (18 July 2017). "ACT government to install CCTV cameras to stop vandalism of the Belconnen Owl". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  3. ↑ Directorate, ACT Government (29 November 2018). "Owl". www.arts.act.gov.au. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  4. 1 2 Reinfrank, Alkira (28 April 2016). "Where does our public art come from?". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  5. ↑ Grenkowitz, Max (2010). "Big Things in Australia: ACT, NT, TAS". max.grenkowitz.net. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  6. ↑ Earthwanderer, Emma (18 December 2020). "130+ 'Big Things' NSW & ACT". myrigadventures.com. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  7. ↑ Warden, Ian (10 August 2019). "Freudian fears of brave public art". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  8. ↑ Black, Michael (16 November 2018). "Canberra's notorious penis owl may have some stiff competition". ABC News. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  9. ↑ "Covid-19 coronavirus: ACT reopening overshadowed by 'penis bird' photo". The New Zealand Herald. 22 December 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  10. ↑ Grey, Dylan; Bage, Pettie (24 March 2017). "Parmageddon: Taking Pub Cuisine by the Antlers". Woroni. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  11. ↑ "The ACT Is Celebrating Queensland's Borders Reopening To Canberrans With A Surfing…. Penis". www.pedestrian.tv. 18 September 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  12. ↑ Ridge, Lucy (18 March 2020). "The Best Things To Do and See in Belconnen, Canberra". theculturetrip.com. Retrieved 3 January 2025.

35°14′51″S 149°04′03″E / 35.24759°S 149.06752°E / -35.24759; 149.06752