Sesquipedalian Sea Squirt – Glenelg, Australia - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

AO Edited

Sesquipedalian Sea Squirt

Glenelg, Australia

A controversial interactive sculpture that "weeps" water. 

View all photos
3
9
Top Places in Australia
The Tenth Drop forming in October 2021
The Pitch Drop Experiment
Brisbane, Australia
Big Avocado
Duranbah, Australia
Banjawarn Station
Lake Darlot, Australia
 See All

As part of the transition of Chapel Street into a public plaza in 2021, an artwork was installed by the St Andrews-by-the-Sea Church. The result, a David Lynch-esque blob held up by three concrete poles. The sculpture, titled sesquipedalian sea squirt, evokes the unique and strange marine life in the nearby waters.

The responsive sculpture invites passersby to touch and interact with it. When approached, the glass spheres strewn throughout may just light up to say hello, and at random intervals the statue “weeps” water down its sides. The oddly-shaped squirt was immediately controversial—some naysayers even attempted to have it thrown into the sea. Often compared to a melting ice cream, or a diseased heart, many locals have a strong opinion on it.

The artwork, designed by local artist Michael Kutschbach, is intended to arouse curiosity, challenge people’s perceptions and provides viewers with the opportunity to form their own interpretations.

Know Before You Go

The sea squirt is publicly accessible via Jetty Road and Chapel Street.

art outside oceans sculptures statues
Nearby
Archer's Arcadia
0.21 miles
The Old Gum Tree
0.77 miles
Queen Adelaide Restaurant
4.74 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Glenelg, Australia

Archer's Arcadia

Arcade chock-full of old timey, whimsical, hand-cranked automata and peepshows.
Old Gum Tree
Glenelg North, Australia

The Old Gum Tree

The colony of South Australia was proclaimed on a hot December day under a distinctively arched gum tree.
Keswick, Australia

Queen Adelaide Restaurant

Dine aboard the historic Ghan train while retracing early explorers' journey through the Outback.
The Grave of the Taman Shud Man
Adelaide, Australia

Grave of the Tamam Shud Man

Dedicated to an "Unknown Man," this grave holds either the remains of a lovelorn suicide or a Cold War spy.
Related Places
Hörby, Sweden

'Multiplera Skåne'

Unexpectedly standing in a glade, this large group of life-sized, 3D-printed clay figures captures the essence of local young people.
Manchester, England

'A New Broom'

This statue of an everyday cleaning tool sits proud upon a plinth in Manchester's coolest quarter.
Bolton, North Carolina

Grahamland Attractions

Hundreds of fiberglass structures line the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.
Basingstoke, England

Wote Street Willy

A sincere and thoughtful art installation, mistaken by many as a statue of a penis.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web