the statue is meant to honor the late South African president, but takes the form of a puzzling pair of giant stainless steel Ray-Ban Wayfarers sunglasses.
This artwork was contested in the arts community and resulted in the artist removing his artist’s statement together with the accompanying signage. The artwork, however, remained popular with the general public.
new memorial, titled Perceiving Freedom, stares out at Robben Island, home to the prison where Mandela was incarcerated for nearly three decades. It is meant to draw a connection to Mandela’s time behind bars. As per a statement from Elion, the sculpture “links us to the mind of a man whose incredible capacity to transcend enduring physical hardship, with unwavering mental fortitude and dignity, transformed the consciousness of an entire country.”
