May 17, 2011

Artist Bruce Armstrong made this amazing eight metre tall sculpture called Owl, which has just been unveiled in Belconnen. The sculpture was commissioned as part of outgoing ACT Chief Minister John Stanhope’s much maligned – but admirable – public art program.

It’s a Powerful Owl, which is the largest owl species in Australasia. Their call is a textbook hoot (listen here!), and they apparently have a penchant for catching and ripping the heads off possums. One famously visited the National Botanic Gardens a few years ago. There’s much more information out there about Powerful Owls if you are interested, as it appears I am.

Armstrong also made the giant Eagle that guards the Docklands in Melbourne.