Sculpture

Soweto children

Erection date: 13/6/1998

Inscription

{Plaque on front of the plinth:}
Dedicated by Bishop Wood of Croydon to the 116 children who died in Soweto on June 16th 1976, and unveiled on June 13th 1998 by His Excellency Happy Mahlangu, Deputy Commissioner for South Africa.
Supported by the Borough of Lambeth, Brixton Challenge, National Lottery and private donations. Commissioned by the 198 Gallery.

{Plaque on right side of plinth:}
"First Child", artist - Raymond Watson

This sculpture was inspired by a widely-circulated and influential news photograph taken by Sam Nzima during the Soweto uprising – see this page. To our eyes the sculptor, Raymond Watson, has transformed the three distraught people in the photo into sinewy figures expressively representing a mother and father, the father carrying their dead child.

The setting does not do this physically insubstantial artwork any favours - whatever the season it is visually lost amongst the trees.

Site: Soweto children (1 memorial)

SW9, Max Roach Park

This park was named after Max Roach (1924 – 2007) the American jazz musician who opened it himself in 1986.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Soweto children

Subjects commemorated i

Soweto children killed in 1976

Soweto is a township of Johannesburg, South Africa. At least 176 people were ...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Soweto children

Created by i

198 Gallery

Also known as 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning. An art space and gallery in...

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Brixton Challenge

An urban regeneration scheme. The aim was to develop the arts and shopping ar...

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National Lottery

The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United K...

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Happy Mahlangu

Deputy Commissioner for South Africa in the UK in 1998. Our photo shows Mahan...

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Show all 7

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