An Australian artist who believed his talent had been unfairly overlooked was jailed for three months Monday for a "bizarre and stupid" stunt involving a bomb hoax.
Colin Barnett, 46, placed a vase-shaped sculpture made of clay outside the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne and contacted police to report a suspicious package.
The bomb squad rushed to the scene and found the vase, which had "peace bomb" and "fragile: handle with care" written on it.
Judge Leo Hart of the Victorian County Court jailed Barnett for 15 months, with 12 months suspended for 15 months, and ordered him to pay 6,319 dollars (5,294 US dollars) compensation to the police.
He said it was a "bizarre" case in which Barnett had the dual aim of getting recognition for his work and sending an anti-terrorism message.
"You're an artist and believe yourself to be a good artist," Hart said. "You believed that you had not been given the recognition that your work deserved and you sought to rectify this."
The judge said Barnett's motives were not malicious but his behaviour was stupid and reckless.
Barnett's lawyer Sharon Kermath told the court her client was "a frustrated artist who wanted to be recognised by the community."
"He wanted publicity to get into the art world. No major gallery was interested in his work."
Barnett was remorseful and "totally embarrassed" by what he did, she said.
"The intention was to create a peace bomb because he was sick of hatred in the world.
"He wanted to donate the artwork (the peace bomb) to the National Gallery to represent peace."
