Peace Sculpture - City Hall, Cardiff, Wales
Posted by: 
Superted
N 51° 29.088 W 003° 10.693
30U E 487625 N 5703753
The statue is of a woman, carrying a young child on her
hip. Located in the main entrance to City Hall.
Waymark Code: WM5TG8
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/11/2009
Views: 7
The City hall in Cardiff has an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures though it is quite difficult to ascertain when they are accessible to the general public. I have chosen to waymark this one which is just inside the main doors in the entrance hall before you get to the reception so should be accessible whenever the City Hall is open which should be at least in the main office hours of 9-5. It will be open at other times for events. For instance I visited on a Sunday morning.
On the 27th August 1981, a total of 36 women, four
babies and six men set off on a march from Cardiff to RAF
Greenham Common in Berkshire. The protest march was
against the American ground launched cruise nuclear
missiles to be located at the RAF base on Greenham
Common. The site then C became a world famous icon for
protests against nuclear weapons.
The statue is of a woman, carrying a young child on her
hip. It highlights a generation striving to create a safer
world for future generations. In the child’s hand is the dove
of peace - symbolic in that many young children were on
the march with their mothers. The woman wears ribbons
in her hair that signify the green, purple and white worn
by the marchers to honour their great grandmothers - the
suffragettes. The chain around her waist associates her with
the Greenham women chaining themselves to the fence
around the RAF base. The shirt she wears carries the CND
symbol - this had been the symbol printed on their banners.
“This statue is of a woman, who is every woman from all over
the world who took part in Greenham [she is no particular
woman], she was the spark that rekindled the Peace
Movement.” THALIA CAMPBELL
Sculptor, Anton Agius was born in Rabat, Malta on 1st
December 1933. From a very young age he developed
his artistic talents, with the guidance of his cousin, the
sculptor Samuel Buggeta. At the age of 14 he took an
apprenticeship with decorator and sculptor Joseph Galea.
From 1950 to 1953 he studied art at Malta Society of Arts,
Manufacture and Commerce, and later went on to study at
St Martin’s School of Art in London. From his experiences,
he adopted the philosophy of an artist’s need to search for
new methods and objectives. His work combines pieces
that are abstract, figurative, symbolic and representational.
His work has won many awards and his sculptures are
exhibited worldwide.
Website about the Peace Monument/Memorial: [Web Link]
Text on Monument/Memorial Sign or Plaque: Not listed
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