Meet Eliza. At 2.2 metres tall, this bronze statue with her own Facebook page has to be one of Perth’s tallest (and hardest) fashionistas. A source of laughs for thousands of residents’ on their daily commute, Eliza’s role in the community has transformed from that of a heritage marker to that of a living art piece. Dawning simple tee shirts to elaborately coordinated outfits, this statue tells the story of Perth and its residents in a way that expresses the cities’ imagination and brings a smile to the face of every casual observer.
Introduced to the Swan River shoreline in October of 2007, the Eliza Statue was built to commemorate the site of the demolished Crawley baths. Acting as a reminder to Perth citizens of the popular swimming site that existed from 1914 to the 1960s, Eliza stands above the water of Crawley Bay in a swimsuit and swim cap, ready to go for a swim. She was commissioned by the City of Perth and sculpted by Tony and Ben Jones, local artists from Fremantle.
While effective as a heritage site marker, Eliza’s value as a piece of community art began just days after being unveiled to the public. Perth residents, under the cover of night, began dressing Eliza in acts of “guerilla art” that expressed the cultural and historical events of the time. Before long, clothing Eliza became a Perth tradition that reflected the vitality of Perth and became part of daily conversations.
Despite its violation of the City of Perth’s objective to keep the statue clean and free of vandalism, City officials have compromised with the community to allow for self-expression in an appropriate manner. Maintaining an informal agreement with early morning rowers, the Perth City Council keeps a close eye on Eliza’s clothing and quickly removes improper outfits. While the Council prefers the statue to remain in its natural form, they do allow special outfits to remain for short periods of time. More often than not, Eliza’s outfits are removed by competitive dressers hoping to clothe the statue in their selection of attire.
For the next year, I will be recording and commenting on the various outfits of Perth’s leading fashionista. While I will not be able to get images of every outfit (those volunteer rowers are fast!), I hope to get a large selection of images that show the cultural expression of Perth channeled through this statue.
SOURCES:
Jennifer Harris, "Eliza: Guerilla Art Supports Heritage Value," Curtain University of Technology, Western Australia.
Claire Nichols, "There is something about Eliza," ABC Local Online: Perth, 6 January 2010, http://www.abcscience.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/06/2786662.htm?site=local.
