Statues Redressed: documentary about artists reimagining Liverpool’s iconic statues on Sky Arts

A documentary following a group of artists reimagining some of Liverpool’s most iconic statutes by dressing them up or creating art around them is to air this week.

The Sky Arts programme, filmed over the summer, will include the ‘Gone with the Wind’ dress which was mysteriously removed from The Queen Victoria statue in Derby Square.

The work drew criticism from some quarters following its installation in August and was removed by unidentified perpetrators shortly after.

London-based designer Karen Arthur, working in collaboration with historian Laurence Westgaph, created the striking garment as part of Liverpool City Council’s Culture Liverpool Very Public Art campaign.

Other Liverpool statues ‘redressed’ in the documentary include Kitty Wilkinson, Benjamin Disraeli, Christopher Columbus and The Beatles.

Why was the artwork on the Queen Victoria statue?

The creators said the dress, made of cotton and hessian was made to ‘reflect on Liverpool’s complicity with slavery and how Queen Victoria and Britain were beneficiaries as recently as 150 years ago’.

They added that during Queen Victoria’s reign, cotton played a crucial part in Liverpool’s trading activities and the wider economic success of Britain and up until the American Civil War in the 1860s, this cotton was being picked by enslaved people in the United States.

An additional satin patchwork cloak paid homage to a handmade quilt gifted to Queen Victoria by Martha Ricks, a black woman who travelled from Liberia to meet her.

Reaction to the installations

In the summer, GB News presenter and former UKIP leader Nigel Farage caused controversy by responding to the arts project stating that he is “tired of the endless conversation about the UK’s complicity with slavery.”

Designer Arthur, who makes bespoke handmade clothing for women, working mostly with colourful African prints, took to social media at the time to air her views about the dress being removed from the early 20^th century Queen Victoria statue.

She returned to Instagram this week ahead of the Sky Arts programme airing to say: “Remember the reimagined statues that Farage got his knickers in a twist about? He’s gonna bust a vein over this! 🤣”

Other Statues Redressed across Liverpool

A total of 20 artists took part in the documentary, placing their work on or around 50 statues.

The project included redressing a giant bronze statue of former British prime minister William Gladstone in St John’s Gardens. The statue was wrapped in a pan-African flag by artist Larry Achiampong.

The flag features 54 stars that represent the 54 countries of Africa, and its green, black and red colours reflect, respectively, its land, its people and the struggles the continent has endured. The yellow background represents a new day and prosperity.

The statue is located in the graveyard where enslaved people in Liverpool were buried.

Each of the redressed statues were also photographed by David Edwards and Mike Bennett and now are on a special limited display in Liverpool ONE until 3 November, for anyone who missed the original exhibits.

How to watch

The two-hour documentary special, Statues Redressed, will be broadcast on Sky Arts, Freeview Channel 11, and streaming service NOW on 18 October at 21:00.