A historic monument in Liverpool city centre is to be repurposed to illustrate the ongoing conflict in Ukraine during the Eurovision celebrations.
Plans have been submitted to Liverpool Council by its culture arm - Culture Liverpool - to surround the Nelson Monument in Exchange Flags with sandbags “similar to the way this was done in Ukraine at the start of the war with Russia to protect them.” Should the city’s planning department give the go ahead, screen and speakers would be set within the sandbags from later this month to show a film made with Ukrainian artists and musicians about the underground music scene that is continuing in the country through the conflict.
According to public documents, Tyne and Wear-based DATechnical have been contracted to design, create and install the physical installation working with the Artists Whispered Tales for the Eurovision Cultural Festival for Culture Liverpool. Subject to approval, the installation would take up to six days from April 21 to run through May 1 to May 14.
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To reduce the weight of the installation, reduce materials used and protect the listed monument, a wooden frame will be constructed around the monument against which one or two layers of sandbags will be installed creating the impression of a large body of sandbags against the monument. A total of four TV screens will be set into the piece to show the film being created by Whispered Tales and collaborating artists in Ukraine.
Around the monument a lower ring of sandbags will be laid out to create a barrier for the audience and to house speakers and lights. Once the event is over, the used sandbags will be transported to an “agreed location in or within a reasonable distance of Liverpool” for disposal.
The reusable parts of the wooden framework will be donated to a charity who use reclaimed wood for community projects. The bronze monument was unveiled at Exchange Flags Square, behind Liverpool Town Hall, in October 1813.
It was designed by Matthew Coates Wyatt and sculpted by Sir Richard Westmacott. Admiral Horatio Nelson 1758-1805 was killed while leading the English navy to victory against French Napoleonic forces at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
The monument was Liverpool’s first major public sculpture and commemorates Nelson as a great English hero. A date has not been set for a decision to be made on the art installation.
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