Artist Osvaldo Budet has stepped up to meet Maitland City Council in the heart of High Street, where he has placed a content warning sign.
The sign alerts viewers, or passers-by, to the risk of "harm or distress" posed by the hitching post.
"Please approach with care" the sign says, describing the hitching post as containing racist imagery which may cause harm or distress.
The sign notes the potential for harm is high for "Black, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people of colour, and those who feel empathy and solidarity with others".
The temporary placement was staged just hours before a council meeting that was to consider an agenda including questions about who knew what and when about the installation of a sign at Budet's display Monuments at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery.
Maitland mayor Philip Penfold and general manager Jeff Smith have been criticised for the sign, which warns gallery visitors that Budet's artwork may "cause offence to members of the Maitland community who have long valued and admired the iconic hitching post statue".
"While council recognises and shares those views, council also respects freedom of expression and the artist's right to present this exhibition on this occasion," the sign says.
Budet's display is based on items such as teaspoons, tea towels, and postcards that have featured images of the hitching post. It reimagines those items without the hitching post image.
The display also provides a detailed history of what the hitching post was designed to do, how they became popular, and goes into fine detail about Maitland's hitching post and its troubled past.
Budet's art is informed by experiences growing up in Puerto Rico, a US territory with a history impacted by slavery, racism and colonialism.
Councillor Penfold has declared that "Jocko shall remain", referencing stories linking the hitching post to a 12-year-old African American slave named 'Jocko Graves'.
Budet says that character is fictitious, the story is made up, and the hitching post is intrinsically racist.
Councillor Amelia Atkinson said nothing in the general manager's response to her questions swayed her away from viewing the sign's installation as an "operational overreach".
"None of the art gallery staff or the director were consulted, so it raises a number of governance issues," Cr Atkinson said.
At some point Maitland council would need to consider the idea of accompanying the hitching post with some information or signage, Cr Atkinson said, as recommended in the $20,000, 60-page heritage report prepared for the council on the issue.
During a walking tour of High Street ahead of his "performance art" at the hitching post where his sign was temporarily displayed, Budet visited The Mutual Bank.
The financial institution features a replica of the Maitland hitching post inside.
It has been accompanied by a poster which describes the statue as "a symbol of courage".
After a conversation with him, Budet said, that sign was removed.
"They realised that that story is a false story with no historical evidence," Budet said.
"That's a really good first step."
The artist said he was hopeful the bank would take it a step further and introduce a sign telling "the real story" of the hitching post.
His research indicates that the model featured in the bank's window was a Hitching Post named "Sambo", featured in an 1872 catalogue.
In other similar catalogues, the hitching post is referred to as "Darkey".
"It's definitely a racist object, and it's something to think about. I think if you're going to display such an object ... you should let the public know that a) it's a hurtful image ... and b) explain why you have it there.
"I understand some members of the community love the one that is outside, but that one is not outside. It's on a private property. Owned by the bank."
The Mutual Bank was contacted for comment.
