Vault

26 May 2024

So Vault aka the Yellow Peril has been recommended for the Victorian Heritage Register. The statement of significance notes that it is an accomplished and pivotal work of public art, by sculptor Ron Robertson Swann, especially notable for its colour and composition, and for its history as a controversial and well-known example of public art. It’s hard to see now why there was such a fuss when it was unveiled as part of the old City Square in May 1980, but the city council voted to remove it only three months later, creating a media storm, and in July 1981 was moved out of the way to Batman Park. Then when ACCA was being built, it was relocated again in 2002 and now sits in a large gravelled area next to it. I don’t love it or hate it but I like its boldness and wouldn’t mind if it went back to the new City Square (not that there’s much room with the new Metro entrance). The listing is part of Heritage Victoria’s program to list more places built after 1970, though in this case it was already listed by the City of Melbourne. Photos from the Internet or the report.