Owl (sculpture)
The Big Powerful Owl is a sculpture 8 m (26 ft) tall,[1] designed by Bruce Armstrong, in the Belconnen District of Canberra, Australia; it depicts a powerful owl (Ninox strenua).[2]
Built in 2011, it is one of the numerous Australia's big things, with this being only one of many in the ACT.[3][4]
Reception
[edit]The shape of the owl has been criticised for its phallic shape,[5] however, it remains a tourist attraction, with Tara Cheyne calling it a "must see".[6][7] The work has been nicknamed[by whom?] the "penis owl",[8] "the Great Penis Owl of Belconnen",[6][9][10] and "the Great Penis Owl of Canberra".[11][12]
The statue has also been prone to graffiti; the ACT government had to spend A$3000 on cleaning it.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b 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.
- ^ Directorate, ACT Government (29 November 2018). "Owl". www.arts.act.gov.au. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ Grenkowitz, Max (2010). "Big Things in Australia: ACT, NT, TAS". max.grenkowitz.net. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ Earthwanderer, Emma (18 December 2020). "130+ 'Big Things' NSW & ACT". myrigadventures.com. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ Reinfrank, Alkira (28 April 2016). "Where does our public art come from?". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ Warden, Ian (10 August 2019). "Freudian fears of brave public art". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ Black, Michael (16 November 2018). "Canberra's notorious penis owl may have some stiff competition". ABC News. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Covid-19 coronavirus: ACT reopening overshadowed by 'penis bird' photo". The New Zealand Herald. 22 December 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
- ^ Grey, Dylan; Bage, Pettie (24 March 2017). "Parmageddon: Taking Pub Cuisine by the Antlers". Woroni. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
- ^ "The ACT Is Celebrating Queensland's Borders Reopening To Canberrans With A Surfing…. Penis". www.pedestrian.tv. 18 September 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
- ^ 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
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