Edward Colston statue toppled in UK to be permanently exhibited in a museum
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The statue of Edward Colston, a slave trader, which was removed from its plinth in Bristol in 2020, will now be permanently displayed at the city’s M Shed museum. The decision was made by city councillors after the statue’s Grade II listing was removed. The statue, which had been in storage for two years, was briefly displayed in 2021.
Conservative councillor Chris Windows opposed the decision to house the statue in a museum, stating it should be returned to its original plinth. However, a city-wide survey found that 80% of respondents supported the statue being displayed at M Shed.
Professor Tim Cole of Bristol University, chair of the We Are Bristol History Commission, welcomed the decision to display the statue in the museum. Plans are in place to mount a plaque explaining the history of the site where the statue once stood.
The bronze statue was erected in 1895 to commemorate Colston’s philanthropy and was listed in 1977. It was toppled by Black Lives Matter protestors in response to the murder of George Floyd.
Andrea Potts, a researcher at the University of Brighton, highlighted the importance of displaying the statue in a way that acknowledges Bristol’s history of activism. The statue will be part of an exhibition about protest.
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Elara Voss, graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with a Master’s in Fine Art. She specializes in contemporary sculpture and installation art, exploring themes of nature and human interaction. Elara’s works have been featured in several group exhibitions across Europe, and she is currently working on her first solo show.