The chosen design for London’s memorial to the victims of the transatlantic slave trade has been unveiled at City Hall.
‘The Wake’ by Khaleb Brooks, a nearly seven-metre-high bronze cowrie shell, has been selected for installation at a site in West India Quay, outside the Museum of London Docklands.
Backed by £500,000 of funding by mayor Sadiq Khan, the project’s intention is to recognise and reflect on the role London played in the slave trade. It is expected to be unveiled in the summer of 2026.
Brooks’ design was chosen from a shortlist of six proposals by an artistic advisory panel of experts from the field of art, academia and the public realm, following a public consultation period.
“We are our history – it tells us where we’ve been, where we are and the direction we could go,” said Brooks.
“The Wake is an opportunity for us to not just acknowledge the victims of the trade, but to honour how far we’ve come and actively engage in the current necessity for social change.
Credit: Khaleb Brooks
“Through honouring, grieving, healing and learning about those who faced the horror of slavery before us, we make a conscious effort to engage the liberatory ethics that sought an end to the trade.
“The Wake is a space of memory, belonging, hope and care. I feel truly honoured to share a work of this scale in London.”
Mr Khan said: “Khaleb’s work is a stark reminder of the pain and suffering caused by transatlantic slavery and the role the UK and London played.
“It’s essential that London’s streets, statues and memorials reflect our shared history, and this memorial will help to remind and educate Londoners of the capital’s role in this terrible treatment of human beings.
“It will also honour the achievements of descendant communities, as we continue to build a better and fairer London for everyone.”
