THE controversial sculpture of Prime Minister John Howard in the outsized uniform of a World War 1 Digger left Bermagui this week after Bega Valley Shire Council declined to accept responsibility for it.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Sculptor Greg Taylor oversaw the removal of his sculpture from the beach at Horseshoe Bay on Monday.
He said he was not surprised by council's reaction.
However, he thought it "a sad reflection of what's going on all over the country".
"The government is controlling debate, controlling discussion and controlling thoughts and someone like me - well, we make it uncontrollable," Mr Taylor said.
"I don't intend to stop that, it's my role as an artist to provoke thought, talking about things that people don't want to hear about."
The sculpture is now headed back to Mr Taylor's foundry in Melbourne after which it is set to make a reappearance at a Canberra exhibition.
However, Mr Taylor still wants to sculpture to end in Bermagui and is hopeful the council will reverse its decision.
The executive director of the Elm Grove Sanctuary Trust, Laurel Lloyd-Jones, said the Bermagui Fishermen's Co-operative was keen to give the sculpture a home in its redevelopment.
But Mr Taylor felt the sculpture was "site specific and not suited to the wharf".
"He kindly offered that when he does another one in the series (of Prime Ministers) he is planning, he would be happy to offer one for their site," she said.
"They were disappointed but seemed to understand his reasons for declining its placement at the wharf."
Mrs Lloyd-Jones said the Elm Grove trust had made the offer to accept the sculpture in trust for the community if it was the wish of the town.
"However there would be no point in placing it in a private space because then the town would not benefit economically from tourists coming to view the sculpture and patronising the businesses in town," she said.
As well as offering the sculpture to Bermagui as a gift, Mr Taylor had also offered copyright on the piece which would enable the community to raise funds for its upkeep, insurance etc through the sale of T-shirts, postcards and the like.
POLL RESULT: A poll of 100 people in Bermagui showed overwhelming public support for keeping the sculpture with 73 people saying it should stay, eight saying stay but change of location, 13 saying it should go and six undecided.
Sidebar
THE STORY SO FAR
The sculpture, known as "If The Boots Don't Fit" or "Little Johnny Howard", came to Bermagui in March for the Sculpture on the Edge festival as part of the Bermagui Seaside Fair.
The sculptor, former local Greg Taylor, offered to donate the sculpture to Bermagui if the community wanted it.
Bega Valley Shire Council discussed the gift as a matter of urgency at its meeting last week and decided to decline the gift.
This sparked a deluge of letters of support for retaining the sculpture on the beach at Horseshoe Bay - as well as some opposition.
However, Mr Taylor decided to remove it from harm's way after council's rejection of the gift.
A local philanthropic trust, the Elm Grove Sanctuary Trust, offered to accept the gift and hold it in trust for the community but said there was no point if council would not allow it to be exhibited in a public place.
