A harp sculpture representing Israel and Australia's cultural connection was offered to the people of Canberra as a centenary gift by the Embassy of Israel last year, only to be rejected by the ACT government.
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The embassy then offered Australian-Israeli artist Barak Zelig's Resonance sculpture, pictured, to the Manuka Business Association in May.
But the association is still awaiting word from the government about whether it can display the two-metre high structure.
Embassy director of cultural affairs Dorit Herscovich said the sculpture was offered to the people of the
ACT and Australian Parliament as a specially commissioned gift celebrating Canberra's Centenary. It was not accepted because of ''protocol procedures''.
''Given the piece is designed to be shared with the people of Canberra, the State of Israel subsequently offered the sculpture to the Manuka Business Association as custodians for the broader community and is very glad to sustain its offer as soon as some technical difficulties will be solved,'' Ms Herscovich said.
A spokesman for Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said there were safety issues to do with the design of the sculpture that had to be resolved. ''The ACT government is working with the embassy regarding some safety precautions surrounding the installation of the artwork before final approval can be granted,'' he said.
The Manuka Business Association has made an approach to the ACT government to establish an ''embassy walk'' and this is under consideration at present.
Manuka Business Association spokesman Quentin Webster said Ms Gallagher had been enthusiastic about the gift, but government regulations were making it too difficult to display Resonance.
Two metres high and made of stainless steel, the sculpture incorporates the Jewish harp and Aboriginal didgeridoo. Weighing 100 kilograms, it has 25 titanium wire strings and was to be mounted on carved stone.
Mr Webster said the ''embassy walk'', proposed for Manuka Terrace and parallel to Flinders Way, was to accommodate the sculpture. The walk would recognise all embassies in Canberra.
''The embassy was disappointed when advised it could not be set up here in Manuka either,'' Mr Webster said. ''The Chief Minister's response was very positive, she was supportive of the idea and backing it.
''Apparently when it went to the different departments, particularly occupation health and safety, and arts and goodness knows how many others, they quashed the idea.''
In a statement Ms Herscovich said the harp was an ancient Jewish instrument, closely identified in the Old Testament with King David.
The metamorphosis between the harp and the didgeridoo resonated on four levels: the first in playing these instruments over thousands of years; the second in the resonance of sound; the third in the resonance of emotions and beliefs; and the fourth in bridging cultures.
''The harp strings that resonate sound are a metaphor for inner, eternal, international and cultural connections; and the connection that people from all around the world have to music.'' John Thistleton
