A whimsical, kinetic, pedal-powered snail sculpture called Shelly meandering around the rainbow roundabout in Braddon accompanied by some funky disco tunes as the sun shines bright is surely a sign spring has arrived in Canberra.
The Gallivanting Gastropod or The Glass Snail, as Shelly is want to be called, was turning heads and slowing traffic along Mort and Lonsdale streets in Braddon on Thursday, one of the star attractions of the City Renewal Authority's new Lunchbox Acoustic program of live performances in the city centre.
She is the creation of artists and husband-and-wife team Constance Titterton and Travis Bullock, who operate Shelly with bike pedals, encouraging city lunchtime crowds to slow down, smell the roses and enjoy some uplifting tunes, from Sister Sledge's We are Family to Diana Ross' Upside Down.
"We both built the snail together in February, funded by a city grant from the City Renewal Authority who've been really supportive of making art and bringing it into fun places," Constance said.
"We like to ride it around and just encourage people to slow down, take a moment, breathe and enjoy the springtime.
"It's been amazing. People in general love it and smile a lot when they see it, which makes us really happy."
Shelly is made from beaten aluminium spray-painted to gleam like copper in the sun.
City place manager Lavanna Neal said the Lunchbox program featured talented, local artists performing weekdays at lunchtime- 12pm to 1.30pm - in Civic and Braddon from September until Christmas.
The live performances are about bringing life to the heart of the city and encouraging people to spend time in the city centre's outdoor public spaces.
Ms Neal said she was hoping to have Shelly the snail make a return appearance to the city centre soon.
"We are really hoping to have her back, she was a big success," she said.
And the Lunchbox Acoustic program continues with Zimbabwean born singer-songwriter Thando performing on Friday at Garema Place, Canberra duo Orfeevi Ritmi is on Monday at Garema Place, Nick Coombe is on Tuesday in City Walk near The Canberra Times fountain and country-alt singer Michael Bones is on Wednesday at Garema Place.
The program of performers is at https://www.act.gov.au/cityrenewal/whats-on/lunchbox-acoustic
Constance and Travis, meanwhile, have also received a grant from the City Renewal Authority to organise a race next year of kinetic sculptures similar to Shelly, sure to make for a spectacular sight. And the sculptures will have to be able to operate in water too.
"We're looking for anybody to build kinetic sculptures, get involved with us, make a team, enter, race these whimsical, over-sized, ridiculous, pedal-powered sculptures through the Canberra city, down to the lake, and do a water crossing," Constance said.
