Sylvia Pankhurst

A two-metre Corten-steel silhouette stands in Mile End Park, Bethnal Green, London. It marks the life of Sylvia Pankhurst, a leading English suffragette and socialist. The park lies beside the Regent’s Canal towpath, a busy route for walkers, cyclists and bus passengers. Three such figures were chosen by local people to honour those who shaped local history or culture. The charity Sustrans runs the national scheme to brighten commuter corridors with public art. Pankhurst is shown holding papers in her left arm while distributing them with her right. The rusting steel echoes the colour of London brick and ironwork. Her stance faces the canal, where towpath users pass every day. The artwork was unveiled in August 2011 after a community vote. It forms part of a wider set of memorials to women’s suffrage across the country. Visitors find a simple, open space beside the water. The sculpture’s flat form catches the light at different times of day. A short stroll north brings the park’s playground and sports pitches into view. To the south, the towpath continues toward the City or Stratford. The piece quietly reminds passers-by of the fight for votes for women.