Black woman of four meters, in sweatpants and sneakers: new statue in Rotterdam receives praise and criticism

The new statue on the station square in Rotterdam was unveiled on Friday. “Moments contained” was created by British sculptor Thomas J Price, who has Caribbean roots. There are similar images of him in London and New York: each time black men and women doing something mundane, such as looking at their smartphone. He calls those creations “everymen” and “everywomen”, because they are not based on a specific person, but based on different people. With his images, Price wants to convey the feeling of being “put away as the other”.

The sculpture in Rotterdam, of a young woman in sweatpants and sneakers with clenched fists in the pockets, was made by Price in 2022. The bronze artwork is four meters high and simply stands on the floor, not on a plinth. He calls his creation “stoic, resilient and vulnerable”. “You can see that her nonchalance is appearance by the print of her knuckles in her trouser pockets.”

“Moments contained” is the new starting point of the sculpture route through the Dutch city. In just a few days, the statue has become a popular attraction in Rotterdam. It is often so busy in the area that spectators have to line up for a photo.

At the unveiling of the statue, Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb predicted that this could become the most photographed place in his city. The image has become so well known in a few days that the demonstration following the verdict in the Sanda Dia trial will leave there next weekend.