A bronze replica of what is believed to be the world's first statue honoring a sex worker has been permanently installed in Sydney's Darlinghurst neighborhood, marking the return of the controversial sculpture after a 30-year absence. The statue, known as "Joy," was originally erected in 1995 and has now come home following a successful community campaign.
The original statue was created by artist Loui May (formerly Fraser) in 1995, the same year New South Wales became the first jurisdiction to largely decriminalize sex work after years of industry activism. May drew inspiration from the "ladies in the doorway" she would observe on her way to art school as a teenager. The cement and marble dust sculpture depicted a woman leaning against a red frame with a cigarette in hand, capturing the essence of sex workers who historically operated in the area.
"As soon as I saw the vacant plinth, that vision of those women came to me," May told reporters. "As an artist interested in public sculpture, I felt it was really important to do something that represented modern life. I thought these women were very important to the area historically and I just felt they needed to be recognized." The name "Joy" carried a double meaning, May explained, relating both to how "joyous" the women were and the services they provided.
However, the original artwork faced significant opposition during its 18-month display. Some residents, including those at a nearby retirement home, petitioned for its removal, considering it inappropriate for public display. The statue became a target for vandalism, with one intoxicated man attacking it with a pipe "as target practice" and a mother who believed the statue resembled her daughter striking it with a hammer. Despite the controversy, May noted that "mostly people just loved her, which was fantastic."
The temporary installation was removed in 1997 due to its contentious nature under the former South Sydney Council and was subsequently donated to Macquarie University, where it remained for three decades. During its original display, the statue had become something of a tourist attraction, with visitors taking photographs and local sex workers "adopting" the sculpture as their own. Nearby businesses were reportedly relaxed about its presence in the neighborhood.
The campaign to bring Joy back to Darlinghurst was spearheaded by Julie Bates AO, a founding member of the Australian Prostitutes' Collective, along with historian Catherine Freyne. Bates spent years advocating for the statue's return, emphasizing its historical significance. "Joy is far more than a statue – she's representative of the intrinsic humanity of sex workers and our role in advancing social justice and law reform," Bates stated. She described Darlinghurst as the "birthplace of the contemporary sex workers' movement" that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century.
The community response was overwhelmingly positive, with a public petition gathering nearly 400 signatures in 2023. During community consultation conducted by the City of Sydney, more than 80 percent of respondents supported Joy's return. Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the reinstallation contributes to the council's efforts in "rebalancing" public art and "providing more representations of women and other traditionally marginalized groups."
Creating the bronze replica was a complex process overseen by casting technician Matthew Crawford, who managed the $165,000 reconstruction project earlier this year. The process involved layering silicone over the original borrowed statue to create a mold, then making a wax copy that was personally approved by May. A ceramic shell was placed around the wax before everything was heated to melt away the wax, leaving a gap for silicon bronze to be slowly poured into the cavity.
While Macquarie University declined to return the original statue, they collaborated closely with the artist, conservators, and foundry to facilitate the delicate replication process. The university was "pleased to support the City of Sydney's initiative" in bringing Joy back to her original location. The new bronze version differs slightly from the original – it's made of more durable material, features a different hairstyle and pose, but otherwise remains true to the original design. Notably, the cigarette was removed from the replica due to modern attitudes toward smoking.
Crawford emphasized the longevity of the new material, stating that "Bronze is extremely durable, so it'll outlive us all," in contrast to the more vulnerable cement and marble dust composition of the original. The replica was officially unveiled on Saturday at a public ceremony attended by dozens of community members on the corner of Yurong and Stanley Streets, where it will now serve as a permanent fixture.
For May, now seeing her creation return in bronze form represents "a sculptor's dream come true." She reflected on the timeless nature of her subject matter, noting that "sex workers have been around for hundreds of years and will continue to be here. They're just part of our society." The return of Joy to Darlinghurst not only honors the area's history but also represents a broader acceptance of sex workers as legitimate members of the community deserving of recognition and respect.
