5 days ago
Northam shire to remove more works of artist Kirk Garlett convicted of child sex offences
A prominent Indigenous artist in Western Australia's Wheatbelt will have more of his artwork removed from public display after he was jailed for child sex offences.
Between August 2023 and May 2024 artist Kirk Thomas Garlett, 50, recorded private activities on six occasions, indecently recorded a child and produced child exploitation material.
The offences took place in Northam and the Perth suburbs of Midland, Cloverdale and Mundaring.
Garlett was sentenced in the Perth District Court in April to one year's imprisonment on two charges of producing child exploitation material.
He also faced the Northam Magistrates Court a week later and was jailed for an additional eight months on six charges relating to using an optical surveillance device to record a private activity.
Once prominent around Northam, local authorities have worked to remove Garlett's pieces from public display since his conviction.
Central Regional TAFE Northam was the first to remove Garlett's art in what was described as an "operational decision".
In a closed door meeting this week, the Northam Shire Council discussed its collection after becoming "aware that a person who has artwork on public display has recently received a criminal sentence".
Councillors voted to request the chief executive to "arrange the removal of artwork" which would be "placed into storage until further notice".
A shire spokesperson said two pieces would be removed from public display but retained in the shire's collection.
This included artwork 145, listed on the shire's website as a 2018 piece by Garlett titled Wardong and Manidj, depicting two cockatoos.
"We understand the importance of public art for the community to enjoy and we will look at commissioning alternate pieces to recognise our local artists."
