Bob Marley Statue To Be Unveiled In Liverpool, UK
A statue of the late King of Reggae Bob Marley will be unveiled on Thursday, September 9 in the city of Liverpool in the UK. The statue, made by noted British sculptor Andy Edwards — well known for his Beatles and Mohammed Ali statues — will pay tribute to the universality of Bob Marley’s message of love, unity, and hope, according to the Positive Vibration Festival, who commissioned the artwork.
After seeing the impact of the Beatles and Mohammed Ali statues, the Festival said they approached Edwards through the Castle Fine Arts Foundry to make the 7 feet tall Bob Marley statue a reality.
“Bob Marley is a cultural icon who is recognised and adored all around the world. More importantly, he is a symbol of peace, love and unity – all of which are needed more than ever right now,” the Positive Vibration Festival said in a release. “We hope the statue of Bob, not only celebrates his ongoing legacy, but provides joy, happiness and inspiration to the people who come across and engage with it.”
The statue will be placed on Jamaica Street opposite the Jurgen Klopp mural on a plinth supplied by Baltic Creative. In addition, the build of the statue has been assisted by local community groups such as the young people of Staged Kaos who visited the Foundry to help the artists structure and finalise the sculptor.
Edwards said, “Peace is not having a lie down, it’s a fight. It’s not something static like a word on a T-Shirt, it’s an action, an ongoing struggle. Every kind of peace throughout the world is under threat right now and we need our champions. We need Bob Marley and the power he summons at the centre of the ring again. We’re about to touch gloves with the toughest challenges humanity has ever faced and there’s only one way to meet that, with love and in unity.”
“This work, which has come about simply by a few friends getting together, because like so many all over the world, Bob was our hero and what he did and strove for still means so much. We hope this statue will be a reminder of the inspiration we can all be to each other.”
The unveiling of the statue will be the centerpiece of the opening of the Art of Reggae Exhibition at 92 degrees coffee, which will also include music from local DJs, as well as speech and performance from poet Levi Tafari, who was born in Liverpool to Jamaican parents.
Marley passed away at the age of 36 on May 11, 1981, at a Miami hospital, after battling cancer.