How Locals Feel About the 'Blue Blob' Now

ABC South East SA

Topic: Art

Ashleigh Whatling chose the Cast in Blue sculpture for Mount Gambier.

A blue structure sits on the main corner in Mount Gambier.

Drivers and walkers pass by, wondering what it is.

Cast in Blue depicts a mystical megafauna that emerged from deep aquifers.

It symbolises the Limestone Coast's aquifers, sinkholes and the Blue Lake.

The Cast in Blue sculpture was installed in July last year and cost $136,000.

While art is meant to evoke opinions, Cast in Blue sparked fierce backlash.

10 months since its installation, community opposition appears to be fading.

Cast in Blue was the result of the City of Mount Gambier's Beacon Art Project.

A dedicated panel helped select which artwork to install.

Ashleigh Whatling holds a Cast in Blue plushie, which has become a favourite souvenir.

Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre director Ashleigh Whatling was one of the panel members.

She said, 'When we selected that work, my personal reaction was, 'Here we go,''

She was not wrong.

Significant attention

Since its unveiling, the $136,000 sculpture has been scrutinised and damaged.

20-year-old Amelia Vanderhorst was ordered to pay $2,000 to the town's council.

Amelia Vanderhorst stuck googly eyes to Cast in Blue, bringing international attention.

The artists who created the unique installation have been affected by the attention.

In a statement, Huna Studio said they knew the sculpture would attract criticism.

We wanted to create something playful, approachable, and easy for people to engage with.

We received negative commentary, including claims that we were responsible for legal action.

Cast in Blue designers Tom Proctor and Mitch Walker say they have received abusive messages.

Huna Studio said the attention had soured what would otherwise have been a positive experience.

It has also made us more cautious about stepping back into the conversation publicly.

Despite this, we are still proud of the work.

While negative sentiments were pervasive online, Cast in Blue did have some early supporters.

Ruth Stephenson publicly spoke about her support of Cast in Blue before it was installed.

Ruth Stephenson, a Mount Gambier art educator and small business owner, spoke publicly in support.

She said many people contacted her after she spoke about how she liked the artwork.

What they liked about what I was saying was, it was not, 'You are all awful people because you don't like it,'

It was, 'Come on, this is a project designed to create discussion and to bring people into the town,'

In Ms Stephenson's experience, the more that people learned about the sculpture, the more they grew to like it.

As soon as you actually engage in rational conversation, it gave a lot of space for people to understand.

A deliberate strategy

According to Ms Whatling, leaning into the controversy became part of the council's plan.

We wanted to get people excited

Mall's Balls is the affectionate name given to a public artwork in Adelaide.

While the tone of the commentary around Cast in Blue was negative, it has begun to shift.

Lynette Martin says Cast in Blue has grown on the town since it was installed.

I hear many people say to me around the city that not a day goes by when they don't see people interacting with Cast in Blue.

It's wonderful to see.

The council has released a line of merchandise that has quickly sold out.

It said the plushies were a fan favourite, with more than 300 sold so far.

It certainly has turned into being an overall good thing for the town because we've received national and international media attention.

Mount Gambier resident Angela Sullivan said she thought Cast in Blue had got people talking.

Angela Sullivan says Cast in Blue has been a point of conversation in the community.

As time's gone on, I actually think that it's quite ingenious and I think it's wonderful for the town.

Dali Lee disagreed, saying he would have liked to have seen the money used for other projects.

Something that doesn't sit there as a blob and does nothing for anyone.

A common trend

Adelaide University associate professor of contemporary art Gretchen Coombs has seen many public art projects.

The public artwork in Melbourne — The Vault — the controversy around that artwork created a halt to public art funding.

Now, it's considered to be part of the Melbourne public art tour.

There's an initial rejection of public art, and that's often because people don't really understand it.

Adelaide's iconic Mall's Balls were controversial when they were first installed.

She said while publicity came with risks, it could also lead to positive results.

Controversy courts awareness and curiosity

I don't like the fact that it has to be controversial for people to have art at the forefront of their mind.

But I think the controversy is also good because it can be a catalyst for conversations about what we value.

Gretchen Coombs says controversial artworks like Cast in Blue can often increase tourism.

For the team at the City of Mount Gambier, the gamble has paid off.

Ms Whatling said support for the sculpture had been positive for the staff at Riddoch Art Gallery.

Every time I go outside, I see somebody having a photo with it, or I see a kid having a cuddle.

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