Replica of Hong Kong’s ‘Pillar of Shame’ unveiled in Norway; know more about the historic sculpture

Following the removal of the sculpture, the much-acclaimed artist had said he hopes to reclaim the work and exhibit it elsewhere. “It’s still my property… if we get it, then we’ll (bring) it back to Europe, I’ll put it together and it will take a tour,” Galschiøt had told CNN earlier.

And now, he has unveiled a full-scale replica of Pillar of Shame – an 8-meter-tall (26-foot) sculpture – at the University of Oslo in Norway. “The message is to show the world that we’re still talking about Hong Kong, we won’t forget Hong Kong and we won’t forget what China is doing in Hong Kong,” he said.

According to a CNN report, the new sculpture is coordinated by Amnesty International and the non-profit organisation Hong Kong Committee in Norway. It will be on display in the university’s garden for almost a month. On June 4, a commemorative event will mark 33 years of the violent military crackdown in Tiananmen Square.

On June 4, 1989, the People’s Liberation Army had opened fire on student protestors who had been protesting since mid-April against corruption, unemployment, inflation, etc. The statue shows 50 bodies — with anguish-ridden faces — piled up together commemorating unarmed student protestors who were killed during the violent attack.

Galschiøt added that he is still attempting to recover the original sculpture from Hong Kong and is unsure about its current condition.

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!