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Black Lives Matter protester statue appears on Edward Colston plinth | Black Lives Matter protester statue appears on Edward Colston plinth |
(32 minutes later) | |
A figure of a Black Lives Matter protester has appeared on the empty plinth previously occupied by the statue of slave trader Edward Colston. | A figure of a Black Lives Matter protester has appeared on the empty plinth previously occupied by the statue of slave trader Edward Colston. |
A sculpture of protester Jen Reid was erected early on Wednesday in Bristol city centre where the Colston statue was pulled down last month. | A sculpture of protester Jen Reid was erected early on Wednesday in Bristol city centre where the Colston statue was pulled down last month. |
Ms Reid had been photographed standing on the empty plinth after the Colston statue was toppled during the march. | Ms Reid had been photographed standing on the empty plinth after the Colston statue was toppled during the march. |
Artist Marc Quinn said the sculpture did not have formal consent. | Artist Marc Quinn said the sculpture did not have formal consent. |
He said the black resin statue - called A Surge of Power - was only meant to be temporary. | He said the black resin statue - called A Surge of Power - was only meant to be temporary. |
Mr Quinn said he was inspired to create it after seeing an image of Ms Reid standing on the plinth with her fist raised during the Black Lives matter protest on 7 June. | Mr Quinn said he was inspired to create it after seeing an image of Ms Reid standing on the plinth with her fist raised during the Black Lives matter protest on 7 June. |
He then contacted Ms Reid through social media and they worked together on the statue, which was erected shortly before 04:30 BST. | He then contacted Ms Reid through social media and they worked together on the statue, which was erected shortly before 04:30 BST. |
"I think it's something the people of Bristol really appreciate seeing," said Ms Reid. | "I think it's something the people of Bristol really appreciate seeing," said Ms Reid. |
"My husband took the photo on the day of the protests and put it on his social media. He was contacted by Marc Quinn who then contacted myself. | "My husband took the photo on the day of the protests and put it on his social media. He was contacted by Marc Quinn who then contacted myself. |
"I was in his studio by the Friday after the protest with 201 cameras surrounding me, taking pictures of me from every conceivable angle. That went into a 3D print and a mould was made." | "I was in his studio by the Friday after the protest with 201 cameras surrounding me, taking pictures of me from every conceivable angle. That went into a 3D print and a mould was made." |
Ms Reid said the sculpture was important because it helped "keep the journey towards racial justice and equality moving". | Ms Reid said the sculpture was important because it helped "keep the journey towards racial justice and equality moving". |
She said she had felt an "overwhelming impulse" to climb on plinth in last month's protest. | She said she had felt an "overwhelming impulse" to climb on plinth in last month's protest. |
"When I was stood there on the plinth, and raised my arm in a Black Power salute, it was totally spontaneous," she said. | "When I was stood there on the plinth, and raised my arm in a Black Power salute, it was totally spontaneous," she said. |
"I didn't even think about it. It was like an electrical charge of power was running through me. | "I didn't even think about it. It was like an electrical charge of power was running through me. |
"This sculpture is about making a stand for my mother, for my daughter, for black people like me." | "This sculpture is about making a stand for my mother, for my daughter, for black people like me." |
Mr Quinn said the sculpture was meant as a temporary installation to continue the conversation about racism and did not know how long it would remain in place. | Mr Quinn said the sculpture was meant as a temporary installation to continue the conversation about racism and did not know how long it would remain in place. |
"It could be there for a month, it could be there for a year, but it's not what's going to be there forever, I wouldn't have thought," he said. | "It could be there for a month, it could be there for a year, but it's not what's going to be there forever, I wouldn't have thought," he said. |
"I saw pictures of Jen on the plinth and she spontaneously made this gesture and I thought this is amazing. She's made an extraordinary artwork just by doing that and it needs to be crystalised into an object and put back onto the plinth. | "I saw pictures of Jen on the plinth and she spontaneously made this gesture and I thought this is amazing. She's made an extraordinary artwork just by doing that and it needs to be crystalised into an object and put back onto the plinth. |
"It had to be in that public realm and I wanted to put it in that charged spot where Edward Colston had been before." | "It had to be in that public realm and I wanted to put it in that charged spot where Edward Colston had been before." |
On 7 June, protesters used ropes to pull the Colston statue - which had been at the Bristol city centre site since 1895 - from its plinth. | On 7 June, protesters used ropes to pull the Colston statue - which had been at the Bristol city centre site since 1895 - from its plinth. |
It was dragged to the harbourside, where it was thrown into the water at Pero's Bridge - named in honour of enslaved man Pero Jones who lived and died in the city. | It was dragged to the harbourside, where it was thrown into the water at Pero's Bridge - named in honour of enslaved man Pero Jones who lived and died in the city. |
Bristol City Council retrieved the statue, which will be displayed in a museum along with placards from the Black Lives Matter protest, from the water several days later. | Bristol City Council retrieved the statue, which will be displayed in a museum along with placards from the Black Lives Matter protest, from the water several days later. |
Quinn's previous works include self-portrait Self and a sculpture entitled Alison Lapper Pregnant, which was put on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. | Quinn's previous works include self-portrait Self and a sculpture entitled Alison Lapper Pregnant, which was put on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. |
Bristol City Council has been contacted for a response about the new statue. | Bristol City Council has been contacted for a response about the new statue. |