By Luke Voogt
A new Brougham Street sculpture has been terrifying nearby workers, who have since tentatively named the “bold” artwork ‘Eddy’.
Jamieson Parsons thought the sculpture was a man who “wasn’t looking well” until she noticed its base.
“This one freaked me out so bad yesterday,” the Leopold local said. “But he’s part of the group now.”
The new sculpture has become a favourite hangout for Jamieson and her colleagues, like Highton’s Ash Khavari.
“It’s pretty cool – I thought it was a person a few times,” the 24-year-old said.
“We talked about naming him Eddy.”
Me, Myself and iPhone is one of three sculptures which Revitalising Central Geelong installed around the city this week.
The artist, Anne Anderson, said her sculpture addressed people’s obsession and “overuse” of social media, and its threat to “normal communication and social skills”.
“I probably don’t get that by looking at it but if you’re led there you sort of get the idea of what the artist is thinking,” Ash said.
“I’m probably a slave to the media like this bloke.”
Newcomb’s Chris Beynon said the “bold piece” depicted a man using social media as “armour”.
“It looks like it could be symbolic how we tune out of society to protect against our own insecurities,” he said.
Geelong’s Caitlin Murphy was similarly impressed.
“I like it – I can see the deterioration on the outside,” she said.
But she disagreed with the sculpture’s earphones depicting insulation, saying music helped people connect and share.
The other sculptures include Tranquility, on the corner of Ryrie and Swanston streets and Sydney Parade, and Rescue, on the corner of Cunningham Street and Western Beach Road.
Rescue depicts a mystery force plucking seven ships from the sea, symbolising the Earth’s continents, according to artists Julie Collins and Derek John.
“Symbolically it points to global responsibility for issues such as climate change, poverty, migration, population and consumer waste,” Julie said.
“What role do we all play in this journey? Who is the rescuer? Is it a God, a politician, a local action group or a shared global community.“
