Statue of Reconciliation - Coventry, UK - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

From Wikipedia

"Originally created in 1977 and entitled Reunion, Reconciliation is a sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellos. It depicted a man and woman embracing each other across barbed wire.

In May 1998 it was presented to University of Bradford as a memorial to the University's first Vice-Chancellor Professor Ted Edwards. The author of the sculpture said: "The sculpture was originally conceived in the aftermath of the War. Europe was in shock, people were stunned. I read in a newspaper about a woman who crossed Europe on foot to find her husband, and I was so moved that I made the sculpture. Then I thought that it wasn't only about the reunion of two people but hopefully a reunion of nations which had been fighting."

Later it was taken for repairs to the sculptor's workshop, and renamed Reconciliation upon the request of the Peace Studies Department of the University. It was unveiled for the second time, under the new name, on de Vasconcellos 90th birthday, October 26, 1994.

In 1995 (to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II) bronze casts of this sculpture were placed in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral and in the Hiroshima Peace Park in Japan. An additional cast can be found on the grounds of Stormont Castle in Belfast. To mark the opening of the rebuilt German Reichstag (parliament building) in 1999, another cast was placed as part of the Berlin Wall memorial." (visit link)

The text on the plaque reads:

Reconciliation

In 1995, 50 years after the end of the Second World War this sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellos has been given by Richard Branson as a token of reconciliation. An identical sculpture has been placed on behalf of the people of Coventry in the Peace Garden, Hiroshima, Japan.
Both sculptures remind us that, in the face of destructive forces, human dignity and love will triumph over disaster and bring nations together in respect and peace.

The full text is also written in Japanese on the plaque.

Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Reconciliation Figure Type: Human Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Josefina de Vasconcellos Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: 1995 Materials used: Bronze Location: Ruins of Coventry Cathedral

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/28/2016 btco visited it 06/05/2014 Superted visited it

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