A shining black baby with webbed wings – both cute and ominous. But where is it?
Maybe you recognized the portico of the Town Hall or some of the distinctive buildings on Swanston Street, without one of Melbourne’s characteristic trams to provide a clue. For indeed, this is a view up the main street of the world’s most livable city (map here), as their residents graciously remind a visiting Vancouverite. And the ominous cherub is one of the reasons why.
The sculptures are part of the Melbourne Festival – now a quarter-century old and a gourmet buffet for a city already satiated with culture. (Melbournians are quick to quote the number of theatres demolished in Sydney, while they preserved theirs.)
And you don’t have to pay to see all the offerings. There is an extensive program of free events, including several that take advantage of the fine public spaces spotted throughout the downtown core, many invaded by black babies:
The sculptures, ranging from 6 to 7.5 metres high, will be installed by avant garde Russian arts collective AES+F as part of their Angels-Demons Parade, one of the highlights of the festival’s 2011 program. .
Festival director Brett Sheehy said the “beautiful” figures, which are covered in resin, would be put in place under cover of darkness, to be greeted by shocked commuters on the opening day, and would remain in place for the duration of the festival.
Even in front of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Imagine that in Vancouver.
More images of the angel-demons here.