Who had this awesome sculpture by the sea idea thing. But then, whats the point, and who cares?

So, every year, Bondi has this great event called sculpture by the sea. tens of thousands of people come around to go and ogle at these big sculptures made of grass stone and steel, and it's all so pretty. One of the winners this year was a great big kinetic bird that moved like a bird and looked like a bird but wasn't a bird. 

Why is it so big and so tall? Well, it looks majestic, but really, it's just to keep the grubby kids hands away. Every year, the art has bigger and bigger "Don't Touch" "Don't stand here" signs on it, depsite being made of, you know, solid steel or stone or something. What are the artists afraid of? The fact is that most of the artists are probably stll used to having stuffy art galleries showing their stuff. Or maybe they're excited to be able to make 'big things' . One of the other things this year was a 3 metre high rusty steel set of Paper planes jammed into the ground. 

There are a couple of memorable ones every year, but most of the time, nobody cares about the stuff that goes away. The sharp metal block of recycling tin cans that was there last year? I must be the only person that remembers. Some other smarty pants statue that looks cool because it's made out of long pieces of steel? Oh, it's coming back next year, but reshaped. Theres one guy in particular who is a bit of an offender, entering the same thing year after year. Even though it's good, mate, it's time to look at skinny people, isn't it.

Check it out:

• 2005: http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/gallery/BondiLarge/2005/on-the-staircase-keld-mose.jpg
• 2006: http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/artist_search/2005_images/Bondi2006MoseholmKUtopia-01.jpg
• 2007: http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/artist_search/2005_images/Moseholm_Jamie_Williams.jpg

Really, it's a big opportunity for corporates to feel good for supporting artists (this years supporters are Transfield. Who are transfield? Do they transform fields? Newsflash, it's a cliffside up there, guys.), and artists to make totally huge pieces of big things that you could never show in any other gallery. Sigh. Win-Win! 

The funniest part? All the runners that, despite the completely snaking hoardes of orcs that are ogling at art, they still want to run on this path and get past everyone on it. They're the best part. Growling and being angered by every pesky photographing amateur; It's as if they didn't expect there to be an obstacle course on the day.

Folks, it's pretty. Maybe. Ok, there are highlights. Come back next year. Bring back the Bondi Beach Sign. And let the runners through