Consultation over Indigenous gargoyles at Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial (AWM) in Canberra will consult Indigenous groups over whether to replace two stone faces of Aboriginal Australians.
The 26 gargoyles which line the courtyard within the Pool of Reflection need to be replaced after 75 years of deterioration.
The statues mostly depict Australian native animals and were originally created by Leslie Bowles in 1940.
But two Aboriginal faces also feature amongst the gargoyles, which the building's heritage rules dictate should be replaced in the original style of the sculptor.
AWM National Collection assistant director Tim Sullivan said while depicting Indigenous Australians in kitsch artworks was popular in post-war Australia, today it was seen by some as insensitive.
"What Bowles wanted to try and create was a series of artworks that were representative of the Australian spirit, of the Australian country," he said.
"That's why these 26 now are about to be refurbished because they are an important part of the heritage profile of the building."
Mr Sullivan said while the War Memorial was facing a cultural heritage dilemma, to his knowledge there had not been any complaints about the statues to date.
"There is a significant heritage overlay on this building and these statues are a vital part of the heritage values," he said.
He said the gargoyles would be refurbished, but the AWM would talk to Indigenous groups and other stakeholders before deciding if the Aboriginal faces would return.
"We'll have a properly constructed process, we will talk with all of the stakeholders and they'll be able to put their view," he said.
"We certainly won't be designing the final outcome until we've heard those views."
