Last weekend I dragged a few people out to the park where we went to see the two competing models for the proposed sculpture to commemorate the legislation against slavery propagated by Wilberforce, (take your chance to vote by seeing the flyer - click on the image to enlarge) and - although I am biased somewhat by family connections, Sokari's is by far and away the better work. It is affirmative, insistent and interesting.
By contrast, the other one is what I would call - and will now never be able to imagine as anything but - Wilberforce's Anniversary Sponge Cake. I thought it was really really bad. Especially the chocolate figures on the top of the cake! Its a rehearsal of every bad stereotype and cliché, and renders black people once again in chains in a way that offers little critical perspective or gestures beyond the obvious.
The original vote-off was at the Lido here, but the results will not be known for a while as - see the flyer - the models will be touring - here is a close up of Sokari's macquette (afraid I do not have, nor do I want to promote, the sponge cake opposition one). Next chance to see the stuff is at Wallspace, All Hollows Church, London EC2M 5ND 26 June-18 July. Get out, find them (official site), and vote.
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