This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/16/maggi-hambling-picked-to-create-mary-wollstonecraft-statue
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Maggi Hambling picked to create Mary Wollstonecraft statue | Maggi Hambling picked to create Mary Wollstonecraft statue |
| (7 months later) | |
| The pioneering British artist Maggi Hambling has been chosen for a long-awaited statue commemorating the “foremother of feminism” Mary Wollstonecraft. | The pioneering British artist Maggi Hambling has been chosen for a long-awaited statue commemorating the “foremother of feminism” Mary Wollstonecraft. |
| The Mary on the Green campaign, which has been calling for a permanent memorial to the philosopher and author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman since 2011, unanimously chose Hambling for the sculpture. | The Mary on the Green campaign, which has been calling for a permanent memorial to the philosopher and author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman since 2011, unanimously chose Hambling for the sculpture. |
| Jude Kelly, patron for the campaign and artistic director of the Southbank Centre, called Hambling, who is best known for a sculpture of Oscar Wilde in Covent Garden, “a modern legend”. | Jude Kelly, patron for the campaign and artistic director of the Southbank Centre, called Hambling, who is best known for a sculpture of Oscar Wilde in Covent Garden, “a modern legend”. |
| She added: “[She] is a wonderful choice to capture the spirit and strength of Wollstonecraft.” | She added: “[She] is a wonderful choice to capture the spirit and strength of Wollstonecraft.” |
| The winning statue design, which features a figure – described as an everywoman – emerging out of organic matter, is inspired by Wollstonecraft’s claim to be “the first of a new genus”. | The winning statue design, which features a figure – described as an everywoman – emerging out of organic matter, is inspired by Wollstonecraft’s claim to be “the first of a new genus”. |
| The plinth will feature her most famous quote: “I do not wish women to have power over men but over themselves.” | The plinth will feature her most famous quote: “I do not wish women to have power over men but over themselves.” |
| It will be erected in Newington Green, north London, which is known as the birthplace of feminism because of Wollstonecraft’s roots there. | It will be erected in Newington Green, north London, which is known as the birthplace of feminism because of Wollstonecraft’s roots there. |
| Corbyn calls for statue to feminist pioneer Mary Wollstonecraft | |
| Hambling said of the decision: “I’m really excited at the prospect of realising my idea, inspired by the trailblazer Mary Wollstonecraft. I hope the piece will act as a metaphor for the challenges women continue to face as we confront the world.” | Hambling said of the decision: “I’m really excited at the prospect of realising my idea, inspired by the trailblazer Mary Wollstonecraft. I hope the piece will act as a metaphor for the challenges women continue to face as we confront the world.” |
| Anna Birch, a spokeswoman for the campaign, said Hambling had been chosen after a lengthy consultation and a rigorous judging process. | Anna Birch, a spokeswoman for the campaign, said Hambling had been chosen after a lengthy consultation and a rigorous judging process. |
| She said: “There was a lot of debate but in the end it was unanimous. Given the artwork is by an international artist, I think it’s got the calibre to celebrate the contribution Wollstonecraft has made to philosophy and the emancipation of humankind.” | She said: “There was a lot of debate but in the end it was unanimous. Given the artwork is by an international artist, I think it’s got the calibre to celebrate the contribution Wollstonecraft has made to philosophy and the emancipation of humankind.” |
| Birch said Hambling’s Wollstonecraft piece would be “just as spirited” as Scallop, the artist’s controversial four-metre-high steel sculpture on Aldeburgh beach dedicated to Benjamin Britten. | Birch said Hambling’s Wollstonecraft piece would be “just as spirited” as Scallop, the artist’s controversial four-metre-high steel sculpture on Aldeburgh beach dedicated to Benjamin Britten. |
| “We have gone for something metaphorical rather than a sculpture or portrait of her because we wanted to celebrate her spirit,” Birch said. “We’re not walking in the footsteps of the bronze male sculptures and what they do in Parliament Square. We wanted to do something different that will really attract passersby to look at it.” | “We have gone for something metaphorical rather than a sculpture or portrait of her because we wanted to celebrate her spirit,” Birch said. “We’re not walking in the footsteps of the bronze male sculptures and what they do in Parliament Square. We wanted to do something different that will really attract passersby to look at it.” |
| Hambling was also chosen because she is so passionate about Wollstonecraft’s legacy. “She doesn’t do anything that she doesn’t love. She is completely engrossed in who Wollstonecraft was and what her contribution was.” | Hambling was also chosen because she is so passionate about Wollstonecraft’s legacy. “She doesn’t do anything that she doesn’t love. She is completely engrossed in who Wollstonecraft was and what her contribution was.” |
| She added: “We know the artwork will spark a lot of discussion and attract a lot of people, which is what we really wanted.” | She added: “We know the artwork will spark a lot of discussion and attract a lot of people, which is what we really wanted.” |
| 100 best nonfiction books: No 76 – A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft (1792) | |
| Wollstonecraft, who died in 1797 and has been called the original suffragette, argued that women were capable of reason and all they lacked was education – which was considered an outrageous opinion at the time. | Wollstonecraft, who died in 1797 and has been called the original suffragette, argued that women were capable of reason and all they lacked was education – which was considered an outrageous opinion at the time. |
| She was also a prominent human rights campaigner, novelist and philosopher. | She was also a prominent human rights campaigner, novelist and philosopher. |
| More than 4,000 people have signed a petition in support of the memorial and the campaign has garnered support from the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the London mayor Sadiq Khan. | More than 4,000 people have signed a petition in support of the memorial and the campaign has garnered support from the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the London mayor Sadiq Khan. |
| Birch said they hoped the sculpture would soon be made and erected although they currently need to raise approximately £60,000 more for the work to begin, for which a fundraising page has been set up. | Birch said they hoped the sculpture would soon be made and erected although they currently need to raise approximately £60,000 more for the work to begin, for which a fundraising page has been set up. |
| Mary Wollstonecraft | Mary Wollstonecraft |
| Art | Art |
| Women | Women |
| Feminism | Feminism |
| London | London |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |