The art beyond the name
SOMETHING that gets no mention in the arguments about the suitability of statues celebrating Edward Colston, slave trader and philanthropist, and other contentious historical figures, is their artistic merit—or otherwise. Given enough digging, almost everyone, past or present, will be found to have feet of clay and, in some cases, it would perhaps be better to have their memorials in museums, where they could be given informed context and serve educational as well as aesthetic purposes.
In any event, the sculptors should
