Kara Walker Fons Americanus Tate Modern 2019 (detail). Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images. [2]
Introduction
Why is a colonial statue in a park like a fast food restaurant next to a gym?
Figure 1 - Churchill statue in Parliament Square Photograph:Joe Quinn/ alamy stock photo [2]
During my daily lockdown walk, I would pass through a park dotted with statues of men and women.
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At the time they went unnoticed, I did not question who they were or why they were there. I was focused on keeping 2 meters away from another person.
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Imagine if a fast-food chain was built next door to a gym.
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Both buildings represent polar opposite ideals.
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Suppose I had a particularly productive work-out session then rewarded myself with a nice juicy burger meal.
How and why are colonial statues and a gym related?
These seem like two completely different anecdotes.
Nevertheless, I encourage you to read the last story again but, exchange the fast food chain for a statue and a gym for any public space, take a park for example.
The two stories now mirror each other except for one key fact.
In the first story, the person walks past the statue, and in the second they are attracted to it.
Instead of consuming a burger meal they are ‘consuming’ information as told by whoever put the statue there.
Conclusion
Jump to Summer 2020 and that very statue is making headlines for being linked to the many atrocities committed by Britain in colonial times, including slavery.
Like a burger meal, this individual was unaware of the true meaning of that statue due to a lack of knowledge. They were misled into believing a false narrative. This deceptive image was amended by the BLM campaign who brought awareness to the other side of the story.
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Figure 2 - Churchill statue in Parliament Square Photograph: Yui Mok/PA [3]
Read On
A personal experience of one of our bloggers
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