Oxford's Oriel College has announced it will not be removing its controversial statue of Cecil Rhodes, but instead will stage a new exhibition aimed at addressing the 'legacy of colonialism'. The statue of Rhodes, which stands proudly on the front of Oriel's Grade II-listed High Street building, has been a focal point for activists who have long campaigned for its removal due to Rhodes's colonialist actions in Africa.
Despite repeated calls for its removal, especially after the 'Rhodes Must Fall' movement gained momentum in southern Africa and the UK, the statue will remain in place.
However, the college is now set to launch an exhibition that will 'contextualise' Rhodes's role in history and his controversial legacy. This will include a new sculpture created by a Zimbabwean artist, to be selected through a competition organised by Oriel in partnership with the Oxford Zimbabwe Arts Partnership.
The competition will feature artists from the Chitungwiza Arts Centre near Harare, with the winning piece to become the centrepiece of the exhibition, set to open in September. The aim of the new sculpture is to symbolise 'the strength and courage of our ancestors' and to inspire a vision for a future of peace and unity, according to Tendai Gwarazava, the chairman of the Chitungwiza Arts Centre.
The statue of Cecil Rhodes which stands on the facade of Oriel College in Oxford may be allowed to stay under plans for a compromise. This will include a new sculpture created by a Zimbabwean artist, to be selected through a competition organised by Oriel in partnership with the Oxford Zimbabwe Arts Partnership above. Large protests have been held at Oriel College over the presence of the Cecil Rhodes statue as demonstrators have called for it to be removed over Rhodes' links to Britain's colonial history.
