A child chewing gum would hardly turn heads among the show-offs of Sydney's eastern suburbs. But Qian Sihua's two-metre-high blood red sculpture of a head blowing bubble gum is a scene stealer as it stands sentry on the South Bondi headland.

The Chinese artist's bubble no.5 is one of the 107 sculptures placed along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk for this year's Sculpture by the Sea. The exhibition's founder David Handley said Qian's work, which is for sale for $38,000, is "visually very arresting''.

Sculpture by the Sea: Otto French examines Qian Sihua's Bubble. Credit:Danielle Smith

"I haven't seen bubbles made of steel before,'' Handley said. "I certainly haven't seen one coming out of mouth of a young person.''

This year's Sculpture by the Sea features works by 39 overseas artists as well as Australian sculptors Ron Robertson-Swann and Ken Unsworth. Two works by acclaimed artist Bert Flugelman, who died earlier this year, will also be displayed.