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Edward Colston Statue in Bristol

Contested Histories Admin — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 22:00:00 +0000

The legacy of Edward Colston, a Bristol-born merchant and Royal African Company executive, involves a complex history relating to local politics, educational institutions, and organisations in Bristol. For many years, the Society of Merchant Venturers, which held significant influence over local heritage policy-making, curated and protected the Colston legacy. At the same time, several groups and individuals attempted to remove Colston’s presence from Bristol’s public spaces due to his involvement in the Transatlantic slave trade. The debate surrounding Colston’s legacy spread outside of Bristol after Black Lives Matter protesters toppled Colston’s statue into the Bristol Harbour in June 2020. The city is still dealing with the effects of these events and looking for solutions regarding contested narratives about imperialism and slavery in the city’s public spaces.

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Robert E. Lee Statue in Charlottesville, Virginia

Contested Histories Admin — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The equestrian statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia, has been the site of significant contention since 2012. Debates surrounding the monument intensified in 2016 with the establishment of a City Council commission and escalated in 2017 to a violent rally that left dozens injured and one counter-protester dead. While proponents of removing the statue held that maintaining the monument reinforced a legacy of slavery and racism, others contended that removing it would erase history. In July 2021, city workers removed the statue, and in December 2021, lawmakers voted to melt it down, which occurred in October 2023 after the dismissal of several legal appeals. Currently, there are plans to turn the remains of the statue into ingots, which will be used in the creation of a new art piece. This case study explores the complexities and violence surrounding and associated with Confederate monuments in the United States.

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Monument to the Dead (Le Pavois) in Algiers

Jade — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 15:12:26 +0000

Built after the First World War, ‘Le Pavois’ was meant to symbolise unification between Europe and Africa. However, to the people of Algier, it is a symbol of the colonial past and French oppression. After Algeria gained independence in 1962, discussions between city representatives and local artists arose about the monument’s future. While officials wanted to demolish the monument, artists advocated for its historical significance, resulting in encasing the monument in a concrete sarcophagus. This case study examines the complexities of dealing with colonial legacies after independence, including social, historical, political, and artistic/aesthetic considerations.

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