Big Swoop
A giant magpie sculpture pecking at a chip in Canberra.
via Wikipedia: Big Swoop · see source
Big Swoop, a half-tonne sculpture of an Australian magpie pecking at a chip, now stands in Petrie Plaza in Civic, Canberra. Created by local artist Yanni Pounartzis with help from Gustavo Balboa and Ari Maack, the piece measures 2.4 metres high and 3.5 metres long. It was first installed in Garema Place on 16 March 2022. After being vandalised soon after, it was sent to Sydney for repairs and returned in December 2022. Now a permanent fixture, it is recognised as one of Australia's "big things" and was featured in the Royal Australian Mint's and Australia Post's 2023 "Aussie Big Things" coin and stamp set. The sculpture was moved to Petrie Plaza in November 2024 for restoration work in Garema Place.
Quick Facts
- Medium
- Fibreglass and Steel
- Subject
- Australian magpie
- City
- Petrie Plaza, Civic, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Artist
- Yanni Pounartzi
- Completed
- 2022
- Dimensions
- 2.4 metres high and 3.5 metres long
Facts from the source article.
Background
Big Swoop was funded by a grant from the City Renewal Authority. Shortly after it was installed, the sculpture was vandalised. It was sent to Sydney for repairs in April 2022. Big Swoop was fully repaired and brought back in December 2022. In November 2024, the sculpture was moved a short distance to the nearby Petrie Plaza, to allow restoration work to be carried out on Garema Place.
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