On our trip to London, we observed many works of art and structures that were created with the intention of acknowledging the UK’s relationship with Blackness.
However, many of the things we saw felt like they weren’t enough; it always felt like the statue could have been bigger, or the monument could have been situated in a more prominent location. Our class kept asking the question, “Is this enough?”
Most of the time, the answer is no, it isn’t enough, more can, and should always be done.
This is not meant to be discouraging; on the contrary, it is meant to encourage anyone and everyone to keep these topics in our conversations.
The monuments seen in the piece are examples of how one can acknowledge the past, and the piece itself is a way to continue that acknowledgement.
The question can also be directed towards the UK government. Are they doing enough to acknowledge their past? One example of this in the piece is in the bottom right corner, where the Docklands Museum can be seen.
Next to it is concept art for a sculpture that is soon to be placed in front of the museum, which is replacing a statue of a slave trader, Robert Milligan. Is that enough?
Some believe that it isn’t enough, because while a sculpture is a great way to bring attention to their colonizing actions, could some of the money be spent elsewhere?
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“Is This Enough?” is part of a larger UWM Post special project titled “Movements of Black Life: A Comparative Study in the UK.”