A sculpture aiming to 'challenge the industrial landscape of our past' will eventually be placed at the Broad Marsh site in Nottingham. The Standing in this Place project, a bronze sculpture featuring two women, will initially be unveiled before the sculpture is positioned at its permanent home.
The model will be shown off at the Nottingham Society of Artists, in Friar Lane, on Tuesday, September 20. It will be unveiled at 2pm on the day by Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Wendy Smith, before it is moved to Broad Marsh at a later date.
The community arts project has been led by Nottingham sculptor Rachel Carter, co-produced with hundreds of women across the Midlands, supported by National Lottery Project Grants through Arts Council England. It aims to address the lack of female representation in statues throughout the UK.
Read more: New Broad Marsh walkway a sign of 'overwhelming change' as it officially opens
The sculpture, according to the artists behind it, will "challenge the industrial landscape of our past, symbolising the shared stories of women working in the Midlands cotton mills and factories and enslaved women working in the cotton fields of America and the Caribbean".
Sculptor Rachel Carter, added: “Placing a community driven sculpture highlighting the complex history of its working classes, and revealing the sometimes over-looked connection with the enslaved in other parts of the world, in this central location will be a huge accomplishment, not only for myself as the lead artist but to all that have been involved.
"By taking a brave step forward and giving recognition to the past can Nottingham then look forward and represent women of today in public art, celebrating their contributions to this multicultural city we call home.” It comes after the new walkway through the site opened to the public last week.
The new walkway will eventually feature views of the new 'Green Heart', called Lister Square, with a Major Oak the focal point. While work on the redevelopment of the western side of the shopping centre has been progressing, millions of pounds in levelling up cash is sought to redevelop the rest of the site under an ambition led by leading urban designers to build 700 homes, a hotel, create a new entrance to the City of Caves and re-use the shopping centre frame.
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