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Face of Suffrage: Hilda Burkitt selfie mosaic unveiled | Face of Suffrage: Hilda Burkitt selfie mosaic unveiled |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A giant mosaic of a suffragette made up of thousands of selfies and pictures of "inspiring" women has been unveiled. | A giant mosaic of a suffragette made up of thousands of selfies and pictures of "inspiring" women has been unveiled. |
The 20m (65ft) portrait of Hilda Burkitt is on show at Birmingham New Street station, where she threw a stone at the prime minister's train in 1909. | The 20m (65ft) portrait of Hilda Burkitt is on show at Birmingham New Street station, where she threw a stone at the prime minister's train in 1909. |
Named Face of Suffrage, the artwork includes 3,724 photos from the public. | Named Face of Suffrage, the artwork includes 3,724 photos from the public. |
Artist Helen Marshall said: "The photo is the face of a smiling Edwardian lady, but her story is far from what we might expect." | Artist Helen Marshall said: "The photo is the face of a smiling Edwardian lady, but her story is far from what we might expect." |
Ms Marshall had appealed for selfies and pictures of women "you wish to celebrate" for the Face of Suffrage artwork marking 100 years since the first British women voted. | Ms Marshall had appealed for selfies and pictures of women "you wish to celebrate" for the Face of Suffrage artwork marking 100 years since the first British women voted. |
Militant suffragette Burkitt, born in Wolverhampton in 1876, was jailed for breaking a window of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith's train. | Militant suffragette Burkitt, born in Wolverhampton in 1876, was jailed for breaking a window of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith's train. |
She went on hunger strike and was force-fed 292 times during her sentence at Birmingham's Winson Green Prison. | She went on hunger strike and was force-fed 292 times during her sentence at Birmingham's Winson Green Prison. |
Ms Marshall said she chose Burkitt as the subject of her piece after people she spoke to "really seemed to connect" with the picture the mosaic is based on. | Ms Marshall said she chose Burkitt as the subject of her piece after people she spoke to "really seemed to connect" with the picture the mosaic is based on. |
"She's looking at you and she's got a warmth. It was almost unanimous... so that's how I made my decision." | "She's looking at you and she's got a warmth. It was almost unanimous... so that's how I made my decision." |
"It is such an amazing photo," Ms Marshall said. | "It is such an amazing photo," Ms Marshall said. |
It was taken by Burkitt's sister Lillian, a photographer and fellow suffragette who ran a studio called Warwick Arts Company. | It was taken by Burkitt's sister Lillian, a photographer and fellow suffragette who ran a studio called Warwick Arts Company. |
The artist said she understood Burkitt may be a divisive figure to some, but wanted to focus on her as an individual. | The artist said she understood Burkitt may be a divisive figure to some, but wanted to focus on her as an individual. |
Her aim, she said, was to show suffragettes, often depicted as "middle class women in petticoats with placards" had suffered. | Her aim, she said, was to show suffragettes, often depicted as "middle class women in petticoats with placards" had suffered. |
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"I had the opportunity to tell the traumatic side of what some women went through for people to interpret how they will," she said. | "I had the opportunity to tell the traumatic side of what some women went through for people to interpret how they will," she said. |
"But it is told through an image of gentle, dignified beauty," she said. | "But it is told through an image of gentle, dignified beauty," she said. |
"That's the twist in the tale." | "That's the twist in the tale." |
The artwork will be display until 14 December, marking the centenary of when some British women voted in a general election for the first time in 1918. | The artwork will be display until 14 December, marking the centenary of when some British women voted in a general election for the first time in 1918. |