Just In
· collected 2026-08-19 · by Ben Clifford; ABC Newcastle Breakfast
In short:
An artist has hit back at Maitland City Council's decision to place a warning sign on his artwork examining the history of a prominent statue of a young African American boy on the town's main street.
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artist → hit → street
In response, Osvaldo Budet temporarily erected his own sign in front of the statue, which has stood on Maitland's High Street for more than a century.
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which → erect → century
The feud has sparked a broader debate in the Maitland community about the statue.
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feud → spark → statue
A controversial art exhibition examining the racial legacy of a heritage-listed statue in a regional Australian town has sparked a feud between the artist and the local council.
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exhibition → examine → artist
The artwork by Sydney-based artist Osvaldo Budet, on display in the Maitland Regional Art Gallery, examines the statue of an African American boy that has stood on the town's high street for more than a century.
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that → base → century
The piece is accompanied by text describing the statue as a "racist image" and an example of how "racism is turned into heritage through sentiment".
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racism → accompany → sentiment
The installation drew the ire of Maitland City councillors, with the majority voting in favour of a motion at a meeting last month expressing a "high level of disappointment" in the gallery's decision to display the artwork and reiterating support for the statue.
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majority → draw → statue
Before the motion was put to council, a sign was placed in front of the artwork, warning visitors it may offend members of the community who have "long valued and admired" the statue.
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who → put → statue
It was later revealed that the sign was erected under the direction of Maitland Mayor Philip Penfold without consultation or prior knowledge of gallery staff.
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sign → reveal → staff
In an act of performance art, Mr Budet installed his own temporary sign next to the statue itself, warning it may cause offence to passers-by.
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it → instal → passers
Mr Budet has criticised the mayor's decision to place a warning in front of his work, claiming it stifles public debate about the statue's legacy.
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it → criticise → legacy
"People in power want to tell some part of the story, not the full picture," Mr Budet said.
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Budet → want → story
"[By installing this sign] I'm now responding to their lack of leadership."
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I → instal → leadership
According to a heritage report prepared by council, the statue was likely erected in Maitland in the late 1800s to early 1900s and was recently placed on the city's local heritage register.
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statue → accord → register
The statue is an example of a type of hitching post for horses manufactured in the United States in the late 19th century.
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statue → manufacture → century
They were widely criticised for racially stereotyping African Americans and as a symbol of slavery.
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They → criticise → slavery
One unconfirmed story behind the statues is that they were made in honour of an African American boy known as Jocko Graves, who died holding the horses of soldiers during the American Revolutionary War.
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who → make → War
"My work is the result of a long investigation I've been doing about the history of this hitching post," Mr Budet told Paul Culliver on ABC Newcastle Breakfast.
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Budet → do → Breakfast
"[The statue] depicts a boy in a servant position following the lead of a white master because the boy was a slave."
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boy → depict → master
In July, Cr Penfold released a statement which said the artwork did not represent the views of the Maitland community.
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artwork → release → community
"For generations [the statue] has been embraced by children… photographed by families, as a beloved part of Maitland's identity," the statement read.
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statement → embrace → identity
The artwork and the council's decision to erect the warning sign have since sparked a fierce debate within the Maitland community.
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artwork → erect → community
"I think it should be kept here; there are other things in Maitland that need to be done [rather] than concentrating on something that's been an icon for years," Maitland local Alice Eccles said.
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Eccles → think → years
Paterson resident Julie had a different view.
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Julie → have → view
"I walk past it regularly, and I have always felt uncomfortable," she said.
"
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she → walk → it
It reminds me of the atrocities of slavery and it also reminds me of the atrocities of child labour."
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it → remind → labour
Questions about council overreach
Maitland Councillor Amelia Atkinson said the mayor's intervention raised questions about proper governance and potentially undermined the art gallery's ability to act independently.
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intervention → say → ability
"I think that jump to a mayoral intervention is a huge leap and that's what we've got to really consider moving forward, whether that's appropriate or not," she said.
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she → think → what
"If this type of intervention in an art exhibition can occur, can the same thing happen to our libraries if a program is in place that council actually don't like?"
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council → occur → that
Chief executive of Museums & Galleries of NSW Brett Adlington shared similar concerns.
"
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Adlington → share → concerns
I think once you start getting these sort of elected officials stepping into the territory of an organisation in how work is interpreted and communicated to the community, it sort of does then start to undermine the role of the organisation," he said.
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he → think → organisation
Cr Penfold refused the ABC's requests for an interview, and instead provided a statement.
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Penfold → refuse → statement
"I reject the suggestion that council is trying to stifle public debate," the statement read.
"
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statement → reject → debate
The exhibition is open and on full display right now, and people are free to see it, discuss it and form their own views."
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people → see → views
Cr Penfold said the decision to erect the warning signage was a "limited and proportionate response" and did not prevent the artist from expressing their views.
Maitland Council's general manager said the decision was in line with the rules set out in the NSW Local Government Act.
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decision → say → Act