Khaleb Brooks's 'The Wake,' a seven-metre-high cowrie shell, symbolizes African resilience and commerce, evolving from a historical site of slavery to a mark of prosperity.
Brooks explains that the memorial's ramp is engraved with poems of recognition, lined with golden sea shells, and contains lists of enslaved people's names, both known and redacted.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, is funding the memorial through the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, reflecting efforts to address historical injustices in public art.
The selection of Brooks's design from six proposals highlights the artistic advisory panel's commitment to creating a meaningful tribute to the victims of transatlantic slavery.
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