The artist, who lives in the US, said that the act was a sign of the misogyny and racism that are common in Europe and other places. The work, called Seated (2022), was first shown near King's Cross in London last year. It is now on display at the De la Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, an East Sussex town on the coast. After it was damaged on May 15, the people of Bexhill-on-Sea worked together to clean it up and put it back the way it was. More than 200 people helped with the attempt. This past weekend, the De la Warr Pavilion made the damage public and said that it planned to keep the work on display until the end of October, when its run was supposed to end.
"Even though I'm upset, I'm not surprised because I'm black and a woman, and especially because the bodies of black women are often abused," Self said in a statement. "Seated proudly reflects the beauty of both being black and being a woman, which is why she was hurt. Her attacker covered her with white spray paint in an attempt to hide her color and, in my opinion, her strength. She went on to say, "Many people have found happiness in Seated, and with the help of the community, she will be brought back to how she was before." I hope that the harm done to the sculpture will bring attention to the problems that have been going on for a long time in the Global West. Painting the skin of my sculpture white is a disgusting thing to do, and I feel terrible for anyone in Bexhill-on-Sea who may have been shocked or scared by this." After being fixed up, Seated will be back on display in Bexhill-on-Sea starting on June 3. When it comes back, people will be able to gather around the De la Warr Pavilion.
Jean Dubreil