Silent Cop

Recalling the omnipresence of the ‘policeman’s hat’ positioned at the centre of intersections as a traffic guide, the hat was also referred to as a ‘silent cop’. Designed to ensure drivers wouldn’t cut the corner when turning into an opposing street, these remained an effective measure until the prevalence of sports cars. Out of curiosity, I searched eBay wondering if there were any available to meet my hypothesis in this unique sculpture. Sure enough, in a country town, someone was selling this fine example.

On the journey to collect, I located a couple of sapling eucalypts in a tract of bush that had recently been burned. I fashioned the spear and whisked the two items off to the foundry.

The result is this piece I dedicate to all perpetrators who were instrumental in the overwhelming numbers of Police abuse and deaths in custody pertinent to Indigenous mob in recent times.