Anger over Mary’s place artwork
Darlinghurst residents and business owners have objected to the wording of a dedication accompanying an artistic tribute to a lesbian woman who was violently raped outside The Beresford.
Located at Mary’s Place on the path next to the back wall of The Beresford, the work consists of a pink lamp over a series of large words which were supposed to be written on the wall describing the attack, which occurred 14 years ago.
“This is a lane with a name and a lamp in memory of the woman who survived being beaten and raped here. She happened to be a lesbian,” part of the proposed poem reads.
The words, written by renowned poet and Professor of Anthropology at Columbia University Michael Taussig, have created controversy with local residents and business owners complaining to local building owner Justin Hemmes about the use of the word “rape”.
Mr Hemmes told City News he was happy for the text and artwork to go ahead but said he had received complaints from residents and local businesses that dislike the proposed poem.
“I think the issue is that everyone is happy for it to go up, but it doesn’t read in a positive manner,” he said.
Mr Hemmes welcomed a community forum held last night at the Oxford Hotel to discuss the text’s rewording.
“We’ve put a nice lamp up to symbolise what happened but we should be celebrating the fact that it’s a safe place and that was an unfortunate sign of the past,” he said.
Creator of the installation Mikala Dwyer says she is devastated by the residents’ complaints and the possibility of any changes.
“It makes me sad that people can’t actually see how positive the text is and how important it is to names these things,” she said.
Ms Dwyer does not understand why the words should be taken down if the woman who was raped, Mary, and the City of Sydney Council originally approved the artwork.
“If she can cope with the text and she was the one that was actually raped, then why can’t these people cope with it,” Ms Dwyer said.
Executive Director of the NSW Rape Crisis Centre, Karen Willis, said she understands why people are confronted by the word “rape”.
“The bottom line is if seeing the word is confronting for some people – having someone you know or care about experiencing that crime is far more offensive and confronting,” she said.
Ms Willis said it’s important to acknowledge rape and abuse in public forums because “if we don’t talk about it then we are never going to change the level of violence in the community.”
If you are or have been a victim of rape people please call the NSW Rape Crisis Clinic in 1800 424 017: Committed to upholding the rights of women to live in a socially just, equitable and non violent society.
By Sarah Black
