Australian city spends $170,000 on... this

[Bug MuIdoon]

I'll buy three and race them!

Seriously though, I'd rather it be something a little quirky than dull and boring. Loads of towns/cities spend £100,000+ on dreary plaques or small "statues" that no one ever looks at or notices, at least this is a talking point. It's even made it to a thread on a gaming forum, so it's not bad for publicity is it?

 

[Terramax]

I'm quite certain that's an enemy from one of the Panzer Dragoon games.

 

[RedBackDragon]

i live in the ACT and yeah were pretty pissed by the way its not 170000$ is
- Canberra times newspaper *quote*
Official documents reveal the balloon is costing at least $334,000, not the $170,000 figure quoted by ACT government officials.
*end quote*

 

[Me55enger]

Only thing I can say is that it has some bloody small testicles, all things considered.

 

[Baron von Blitztank]

Don't the fins (wings?) kind of look like a bundle of giant, hanging boobies?

Wow, once you see it it cannot be unseen! And it gets even weirder the longer you stare at it...

Anyways, I live in the UK so I can't vouch for the city of Canberra or even confirm if the city actually exists or not. All I can say is that I, for one, welcome our new titwhale overlords.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I believe Marty McFly sum it up better then I could-

"What the hell is that???!!!" (Seriously how can no one made a Youtube clip on that quote????)

Give me an hour and I will think of many better ways to spend that amount of money for that purpose which one of them isn't making that monstrosity!

 

[Scarecrow]

Should have called it "A statement on the condition of modern art and government spending".

I cannot believe my own country would pay for this. In a place where no real people live.

It has breasts for fuck's sakes.

Lots of things have breasts. I wish more things, including myself, had breasts. Also it makes more sense than most modern art I've seen recently, plus it acutely looks interesting and cool. So I don't quite see the issue, besides people just not liking the look.

 

[talker]

Don't the fins (wings?) kind of look like a bundle of giant, hanging boobies?

that's because they ARE big, hanging boobies. according to the article the artist said that it was an idea of what whales would have looked like if the evolved to fly, not to swim. and because whales are mammals, it needed big hanging boobies.

'tis an abomination, indeed.

 

[Tombsite]

I would love to have that thing floating around over my city. Seriously. How can you not look up at that thing and just crack the biggest smile. I LOVE that thing and would very much like to buy one. Now wait here while I go rob a bank.

 

[Snotnarok]

It looks neat ....despite the ...whole ...giant hanging breasts th- how did that even get by them? At the suggestions for concept art it should have been smacked down quickly.

 

[Epicspoon]

Don't the fins (wings?) kind of look like a bundle of giant, hanging boobies?

Well. Worse things have been bought. I just cannot name any other ones.

QUICKLY! To the HindenPeter!

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Remember guys! TRUE ART IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE!!!!

As is true insanity. And as we see here, the line between the two is sometimes razor-thin....

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Should have called it "A statement on the condition of modern art and government spending".

I cannot believe my own country would pay for this. In a place where no real people live.

It has breasts for fuck's sakes.

Lots of things have breasts. I wish more things, including myself, had breasts. Also it makes more sense than most modern art I've seen recently, plus it acutely looks interesting and cool. So I don't quite see the issue, besides people just not liking the look.

It is a whale. A whale that is supposed to have 'evolved' to be able to fly. It cannot do that, and is furthermore burdened by, and has no relevance to, the dozen breasts arrayed along its sides. Whales have no connection to Canberra. It makes no sense, which is not excused by other art making no sense either. Its interestingness and coolness are very much subjective, to the point where I think it looks the former but most certainly not the latter. The issue is it is ridiculous and has nothing to do with the event it is supposed to be part of.

So I suppose it all comes down to whether or not you think whales are relevant to Canberra and whether breasts of that kind are relevant to whales.

 

[Radoh]

One more terrifying thing in Australia I guess.
At least this one probably won't try to kill me if I ever get the courage to go there.

 

[Thaluikhain]

One more terrifying thing in Australia I guess.
At least this one probably won't try to kill me if I ever get the courage to go there.

Pft, you'll be looking up in the air for sky-whales and not notice a giant spider web and get eated.

 

[Radoh]

One more terrifying thing in Australia I guess.
At least this one probably won't try to kill me if I ever get the courage to go there.

Pft, you'll be looking up in the air for sky-whales and not notice a giant spider web and get eated.

That's why probably is in italics.
Since I can still imagine that thing could kill me in several ways.
Like deflating and crushing me, or dropping said giant spiders on my face.
Para-dropping venomous creatures.

 

[LongAndShort]

All right Canberra, now we have proof that you're actually trying to stop people from visiting...

 

[Mazza35]

I fucking love living in Australia, yes our governments may spend money on some stupid shit but it's funny shit xD

 

[Chris Tian]

Some background. Canberra is celebrating its centenary this year, hence they decided to commission a work of art to commemorate the occasion. The artist used to reside in Canberra, and hot air balloons are fairly common across Canberra.

...and that's about the point where all reason and logic bids us a merry goodbye. This thing is called 'Skywhale', despite the fact that it looks nothing like a whale unless it was a whale drawn by a coked-up Salvador Dali. And yes, it actually cost $170,000.

You can read the artist's rationale (if that is the word...) here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-09/is-it-a-bird-is-it-a-plane-no-its-a-skywhale/4679676?section=act

PS I actually live here.

Well, good on your hometown to have that kind of money to burn, and absolutely no better use for it, than to finance the future nightmares of the towns children.

 

[Storm Dragon]

Well after a quick google search for the creator Patricia Piccinini I found some of her other works.

Spoiler: Warning sheer WTF inside

Spoiler

The second piece isn't that bad but I stumbled across the first a year back and thought it was from some weird fetish site.

Also: I for one welcome our Giant Titty Whale Overlord.

I also hope it never ever goes across the Tasman.


Captcha: fools gold

This woman has issues. Deep-seated psychological issues.

You guys may think of this as a waste of money, but just take a look at the kind of crap our politicians get up to over here in America. I think you'll find that this is preferable.