"The Challenge" is a bronze sculpture of a bull created by Alan Somerville in 1999. It stands in the middle of the Hordern Arcade in World Square, with entry from the corner of Pitt Street and Liverpool Street. The plaque reads: The bull, a mythological beast, is the embodiment of spirituality and symbolises the qualities of strength, endurance and tenacity necessary in meeting the many challenges encountered in achieving success.
Linked to: Weekend Reflections.
Impressive looks very dramatic
ReplyDeleteJim, just a little more fierce than the bull on Wall Street!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sculpture!
ReplyDeleteQuite a dramatic sculpture!
ReplyDeletepowerful sculpture!
ReplyDeleteok that's a good sized bull!
ReplyDeleteI love the pure strength of the sculpture. Fantastic shot. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteModern, while reminiscent of an older tradition. Expressive
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
I am always amazed by great sculpture. I love looking at the details in the neck -- you can see such emotion.
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Traci
In Brisbane, there are statues too.
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DeleteYou can sure see the challenge in this statue :-) Love the reflections in your shot. Thanks for sharing. #SundaysinMyCity
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty amazing because it manages to look like it is somehow suspended in motion. You can sense the tension in the muscles.
ReplyDeleteIt should have been put on Martin Place or other prominent Sydney City Public Spaces so public and tourists can see, touch and take photos.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame not to put this in a more prominent place.
We have truly a much stronger and powerful bull than any other city in the whole world, unfortunately City Council have decided to put bronze birds around the place where no one can see, touch or even notice !!
I'm sorry to see this statue in Sydney. It's a symbol of the god Baal, and the resurgence of paganism once again. There are other bull statues in other cities, like Wall St, New York. There is an account in the Bible of the Israelites casting a golden bull (by melting down all their jewellery) whilst Moses was on Mt Sinai receiving the 10 Commandments from the Lord God. Moses found the Israelites worshipping the golden bull when he returned. Filled with grief, he dashed the tablets to the ground as the people had already broken the 1st commandment - "you shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourselves a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth below, or that is in the sea beneath the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them ..." see Exodus 20:3-6 for the whole quote.
ReplyDeleteYou’re overthinking the symbolism.
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