Charlie the Paparazzi Dog on Hunter Street might be the most photographed piece of public art in Newcastle, so it was inevitable that his disappearance would raise some questions.
The 150-kilogram bronze bust that was installed by former lord mayor turned property developer Jeff McCloy as a cheeky dig at the media types loitering about outside the law courts has been removed from his perch beside his bunny-headed companion for repairs.
Mr McCloy, who was on the Gold Coast on Thursday when Topics called, said the pair of sculptures were intended as a bit of a tongue-in-cheek joke at first, but they have since won the hearts of countless visitors and locals who stop to snap a pic with the paparazzi pup.
The problem though, Mr McCloy said, were those visitors who played a bit too rough with the exhibits. Late night hoons have been known to climb on sculptures and others seem to forget that, though they're popular, the pair are an art installation first.
"I love that dog, but people come and put their kids on them, or hang on them," Mr McCloy said, "It drives you mad."
Mr McCoy's Hunter Street office, where the sculptures are installed, confirmed on Thursday that Charlie had been removed and taken for repairs after sustaining some recent damage.
The former lord mayor has amassed a considerable collection of public art, most recently adding the huge timber sculpture of a breaching whale currently installed at Fort Scratchley to a catalogue that includes bird and koala statues at Medowie, a cow at Lochinvar and a pelican and fish at Teralba, an 800-kilogram bronze gorilla, and of course the Charlie and his bunny friend.
"I think I've bought more public art in Newcastle than Newcastle City Council," Mr McCloy scoffed, adding that the installations were "good for the community ... good for the city and good for the town".
"I encourage other businesses to do the same."
Mr McCloy, whose former home in Parkway Avenue, Bar Beach, features two rooftop cannons, has a penchant for buying large sculptures and paintings for his housing subdivisions and buildings, and had Charlie installed in late-2018.
"People look after their communities and their city when there is a proliferation of public art in the place," he said at the time.
The statue is the creation of Sydney husband and wife art team Gillie and Marc, whose animal-based works also stand in New York and Beijing.
Gillie and Marc, who are both committed environmentalists, have created a series of statues of their alter-ego characters, Rabbitwoman and Dogman.
Mr McCloy's whale, meanwhile, which was intended to be moved to the entrance to his Driftwood Shores housing estate at Tuross Head on the south coast near Batemans Bay at the end of last year, after he purchased it in June, but he said this week that approvals were moving steadily.
"It will probably stay for some time," he said.
The sculpture, titled Bleaching, was made from a 400-year-old fallen red gum and had an asking value of $200,000, though Mr McCloy said he had negotiated on the sale. It is the work of Speers Point artist Michael Greve, and won the Sculptures at Scratchley exhibition's people's choice award.
