New sculpture placed where Confederate soldier once stood in downtown Durham
As the sun rose Friday, it shone down on a sculpture sitting where a Confederate soldier once stood in downtown Durham.
Long arms with fists sat on the pedestal that held the Confederate soldier in front of the Durham County administrative building on Main Street until demonstrators pulled it down on Aug. 14. The sculpture included a long, thin flag that read “hope” in different languages.
County officials took the sculpture down by 7:30 a.m. Friday. County officials couldn’t be reached for comment.
The Durham artist who placed the sculpture there asked not to be identified, because he said he wants to avoid negative repercussions.
The work symbolizes hope for different races and genders, he said, and for equal rights and equal everything. The sculpture was made of cement and steel and took about a week to create, he said. The artist noted that he used cheap materials, because he expected it to be taken down.
Earlier this year, a heart sculpture was placed on the pedestal and county officials had taken it down by 9 a.m. on the day it was erected.
Virginia Bridges: 919-829-8924, @virginiabridges
This story was originally published November 17, 2017 at 7:00 AM with the headline "New sculpture placed where Confederate soldier once stood in downtown Durham."