Maitland Council's Sign Outside 'Jocko' Art Exhibition Sparks Criticism

Maitland City Council in New South Wales erected a warning sign outside artist Osvaldo Budet's exhibition at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery, which examines the racist connotations of the town's 'Jocko Graves' lawn jockey statue. The sign, commissioned by Mayor Philip Penfold, warns that admirers of the statue may be offended and states the council shares that view.

Budet and the Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council denounced the sign as harmful and a form of white‑washing. Budet said, "The sign is extremely revealing about who they are and I know who they are and I'm not surprised," adding that the council had previously removed a heritage report from the exhibition without notice. The exhibition re‑imagines the statue, which is based on a 1960s children’s book depicting a Black boy who supposedly died while aiding George Washington’s army.

Both articles describe the same controversy, highlighting tensions between local government, Indigenous groups, and artistic freedom over historical symbols.