Image credit: Michael Kutschbach
A new sculpture has wriggled its way to the Glenelg foreshore, abundant with squiggly tentacles and vibrant colours.
Meet Sesquipedalian Sea Squirt – the 3-metre-tall installation created by SA artist Michael Kutschbach.
The sculpture affectionately referred to as Sea Squirt, has found its home in the City of Holdfast Bay’s new precinct Chapel Plaza, christening the space with his gigantic and colourful tentacles.
Kutschbach’s piece was inspired by the array of vibrant colours and shapes of the sea squirts found on the Glenelg’s seaside. The surrealist sea squirt sculpture took four months for Kutschbach to complete, and pays homage to locations thriving sea squirt population.
While the Sesquipedalian Sea Squirt has nestled into its new home, Glenelg residents and seaside visitors are increasingly inquisitive of the new local.
“I love it… largely for what it is, but also for the reaction it triggers. That’s what art can do, it’s not just about beauty, it’s about curiosity and so many other things. Well done,” said one commenter.
“I think it is meant to be a kind of sea creature, as would represent Glenelg and the beach? But my other guesses would be either The Flying Spaghetti Monster,” said another.
“I think it’s clever and different with beautiful colours. It’s definitely going to get people talking as well as attracting people and getting people laughing as well. I think it’s great,” wrote another.
However, when speaking to the City of Holdfast Bay, Kutschbach said this curiosity is exactly what he hoped to attract when creating the piece.
“I hope it’ll come across as a very friendly, strange thing – one that arouses curiosity,” Michael said.
“It’s a generous, fun, colourful and responsive sculpture. And given the textures on it, it’ll be irresistible to touch.”
The surrealist marine creature is the latest curious sculpture to find a place in Adelaide, after Rundle Mall’s giant pigeon perched itself at the entrance of Gawler Place.
Sesquipedalian Sea Squirt was commissioned as part of the $3.6M Hindmarsh Lane and Chapel Plaza transformation. The revamped location includes new and accessible toilets, a parent room and stunning high archways.
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