As activists around the world direct their anger at bronze depictions of despised leaders, Dali Tambo points out that the statues themselves are not the issue — it’s where they are displayed, and, crucially, what should be erected in their place
In his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell’s character, speaking of the “Ministry of Truth”, says: “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”
A deep sense of joy has been experienced throughout history by those officials who erected statues of their heroes, placed them in public spaces and put them on pedestals — a joy matched only by the protesters who in later eras unofficially tore them down from their lofty perches.Monumental sculptural heritage has always had a social, psychological and political motivation beyond art...A subscription gives you full digital access to all Sunday Times content.
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