Last chance to see Black Country suffragette artwork in Birmingham
A mosaic of a Black Country suffragette was today ending its stay at Birmingham New Street Station.
The floor-based 200 metre-square photo mosaic, the 'Face of Suffrage' is made up of more than 3,700 images of women.
When viewed from above, it shows Wolverhampton-born Hilda Burkitt – a leading face from the suffrage movement.
The installation will be removed tonight, exactly 100 years to the day since the 1918 general election which was the first time some women could vote.
An estimated 5.4 million people are believed to have seen the artwork during its four-week run.
Hilda threw a stone at Prime Minister Herbert Asquith's train as it pulled out of Birmingham New Street, after he attended a male-only budget in 1909.She was arrested and forcibly fed at Winson Green prison. Until this year, however, very little was known publicly about her life.
Helen Marshall, the artist behind the artwork and from The People's Picture, said: “This project has been a huge success.
"People travelled miles to see it and have shared their appreciation with countless selfies of themselves on the artwork.
"I'm sad to let it go, and I hope it may find a new home in a different form so that Hilda's legacy is enjoyed for years to come. It is hard to believe that it was only months ago I was still piecing together what I believed might be a modest tribute, but working together with all the amazing people and partnerships it will be sure to remain in our memories for years to come. Birmingham New Street has set a precedent to be the perfect location for contemporary public art."
People were invited to submit pictures of inspirational women from today to go alongside historical pictures of women from West Midlands and nationwide in the early 1900s.
Karen Hornby, head of performance and customer relationship for Network Rail’s London North Western route, said: “Since its installation overnight on November 15, the positive response to the artwork has been huge and it's been shared and liked thousands of times on social media.
"It's been an honour for Network Rail to host the ‘Face of Suffrage’ and for Birmingham New Street station to become the canvas for a piece of public art which has captivated countless people and raised the profile of Hilda Burkitt and her determined campaign for women’s rights.”
The project was co-produced by GRAIN Projects and was supported by Network Rail, Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund, LSE Library, CrossCountry, Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham City University, Townswomen's Guilds and Prolific Graphics.
