Artwork honouring children killed in Gaza on show after being dropped by council
An artwork naming more than 18,000 children killed in Gaza has been displayed on the NSW South Coast, after it was dropped by a local council for posing an "unacceptable level of risk".
A church in Berry, on the NSW South Coast, is hosting an art exhibit to honor children who have died in Gaza. The Wall of Tears, an artwork by American artist Phil Buehler, displays the names of 18,457 children killed by the Gaza Health Ministry between October 7, 2023 and July 19, 2025. The exhibit opened in Berry after a planned display at Nowra's Shoalhaven Regional Gallery was cancelled by the local council due to safety concerns.
Nowra's Shoalhaven City Council risk assessment indicated that armed guards and metal detectors would be necessary for a safe display, but the council ultimately decided against the exhibit. The artwork has since been shown at venues in Kiama and Port Kembla. Reverend John Brentall expressed disappointment in the council's decision, stating that the artwork posed no threat.
Annette Pham, from Shoalhaven Friends of Palestine, had been organizing for the exhibit to be displayed in her local gallery. Many community members remain unsatisfied with the council's justification for cancelling the exhibit. The controversy has prompted other venues in Kiama and Port Kembla to offer to display the artwork.
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