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Lady Liberty Hong Kong

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Lady Liberty Hong Kong
Lady Liberty Hong Kong during a demonstration on 4 October 2019.
Year2019
Dimensions3 m (120 in)
Weight80 kg (180 lb)[1]
Conditiondestroyed, missing

Lady Liberty Hong Kong (Chinese: 香港民主女神像) was a 3-metre (9.8 ft) statue that was created during the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, designed by users from the LIHKG forum. Created in August 2019, the statue was publicly displayed in multiple locations before being hauled to the top of Lion Rock, intended as the statue's "final resting place"; however, the statue was vandalised and removed by unknown assailants the next day.

Inception

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In August 2019, a design team came up with nine design proposals for the statue. An online vote was held on LIHKG, leading the team to select the "Goddess of democracy" design, which was modelled after a female demonstrator whose eye was allegedly ruptured by a bean bag round shot by the police.[2] The team launched a crowdfunding campaign, which successfully raised a total of HK$203,933 in 6 hours, surpassing its HK$200,000 goal.[3][4] Roughly HK$50,000 was spent on the statue, and the remaining HK$150,000 was donated to the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund in support of the protest movement.[4]

The team involved in the production included:

  • Core team of 15 people, 5 people
  • Graphic design team, 30 people
  • 3D design team, 10 people
  • 3D printing team, 30 people
  • Metal structure team, 10 people
  • Sculpture production team, 25 people
  • Counter-powered driver, 5 people
  • Transportation and site assembly team of 20 people
  • 8,000 netizens who participated in the draft design vote

Design concept

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The design concept of Lady Liberty Hong Kong was inspired by a typical demonstrator's outfit: a yellow helmet, eye mask and a gas mask; the right hand holds an umbrella, while the left hand holds a banner with the slogan "Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our times", a commonly used slogan in the protest movement.[4] The team has stated the statue symbolised "the unparalleled bravery of Hongkongers in voicing out amidst [the] rain of bullets and tear gas in the prolonged anti-extradition bill movement".[4]

Exhibition

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The statue was first publicly displayed at the Chinese University of Hong Kong on 31 August.[5] The statue was also displayed at the "Anti-Abusive and Anti-authoritarian Rally" held at Chater Garden on 6 September[6] and was temporarily moved to the University of Hong Kong afterwards.[7] On 13 October, the statue was hauled to the top of Lion Rock by a team of 32 volunteers, including 16 professional climbers.[1] The organisers had intended Lion Rock as the statue's "final resting place", as "a symbolic gesture to infuse a refreshed mindset for the fight for democracy." However, on the next morning, the statue was toppled and vandalised with red paint by unknown assailants.[7][8][9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Lady Liberty: Hong Kong protesters haul statue to mountain top". France 24. 14 October 2019. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  2. ^ Ives, Mike; Fei, Lam Yik (11 October 2019). "At Hong Kong Protests, Art That Imitates Life". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  3. ^ "連登眾籌一日達標 20 萬 香港民主女神像正式投產 | 立場報道 | 立場新聞". Stand News (in Chinese). Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d "Plan for 'Lady Liberty Hong Kong' pro-democracy statue surpasses HK$200k crowdfunding goal within hours". Hong Kong Free Press. 31 August 2019. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  5. ^ "【逆權運動】創作揉合血汗與傷痕 4.5米高真●香港民主女神像豎立「暴大」". Apple Daily (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  6. ^ "社會及政治組織從業員遮打花園集會 促警方不要濫捕" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). RTHK. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  7. ^ a b Woodhouse, Alice; Liu, Nicolle (15 October 2019). "Hong Kong protesters go into creative overdrive". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  8. ^ CoconutsHongKong (14 October 2019). "'Lady Liberty' statue toppled after being hauled to top of Lion Rock | Coconuts Hong Kong". Coconuts. Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Hong Kong's Lady Liberty statue vandalised after being installed atop Lion Rock". Hong Kong Free Press. 14 October 2019. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
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