Danish sculptor and artist Jens Galschiøt fears for the fate of his iconic “Pillar of Shame”. The monument has become entangled in a legal battle after being retained as evidence in a national security case.
For more than two decades, the “Pillar of Shame” stood as a stark reminder of those killed or detained in the aftermath of China’s 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. Today, the fate of the Danish sculptor Jens Galschiøt’s work remains uncertain, after the monument became entangled in a Hong Kong national security case.
For Galschiøt, the monument has always been more than a sculpture. In an interview with ScandAsia, he reflects on the history of the “Pillar of Shame”, its significance as a memorial to the Tiananmen crackdown, and his concerns about what may happen to it now.
A sculpture shaped by history
In 1990 Jens Galschiøt created a series of sculptures called “The Pillars of Shame”, dedicated to victims of serious human rights violations. Three pillars were created, and later placed in Brazil, Mexico and, lastly, Hong Kong, dedicated to commemorating the massacre at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on 4 June 1989.
Galschiøt contacted the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which agreed to exhibit the monument for an indefinite period. The pillar was erected outside the University of Hong Kong in 1997, while Hong Kong was still a British colony.
The monument stood outside the University of Hong Kong for more than 24 years before the university removed it in 2021 amid worldwide protests and media attention. It has remained sealed inside a container ever since.
On 5 May 2023, Hong Kong police seized the sculpture, which was subsequently held as evidence in the national security case against leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance. For Galschiøt, this has created a difficult legal battle over the sculpture’s fate.
“As soon as the trial is over, something must be done with the piece of evidence – the Pillar of Shame. The court intends to have it destroyed, but I hope to bring it back to Denmark.” Galschiøt says.
The fight for ownership
The Hong Kong Alliance has been accused of breaching the National Security Law and of “inciting subversion of state power by illegal means” in connection with its activities, including washing, painting and exhibiting the monument during vigils mourning the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown.
As a result, the Pillar of Shame is being held as evidence in the case, and is currently being stored in a container outside the courthouse in Hong Kong. Galschiøt says he has been unable to retrieve the sculpture from the court, which maintains that no one has claimed it.
“The judge says that no one has laid claim to the sculpture, but we have done so through our lawyers many times. Our lawyers have sent a letter to the Ministry of Security, because they [the court] must not be able to say that no one has made a claim.” Galschiøt says.
Jens Galschiøt claims that the Hong Kong authorities’ seizure of the Pillar of Shame is in violation of his private property rights. He also argues that the Hong Kong Alliance acted within its responsibilities as an art exhibitor and simply maintained the pillar’s dual role as both an artwork and a memorial to the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown.
“It is ironic that the symbol of freedom of speech in China is located in a container outside the courthouse.” Galschiøt says.
To combat the monument’s potential destruction, Jens Galschiøt has sent letters claiming ownership of the sculpture to The Department of Justice in Hong Kong, the Court of First Instance of the High Court of the Hong Kong SAR and the University of Hong Kong, with support from the European Parliament and The Hong Kong Alliance, both confirming his ownership.
He also received support from the Danish politician Karsten Hønge, who is a member of the Socialist People’s Party, but so far, Jens Galschiøt hasn’t recieved any news about the fate of his pillar.
“The court is still deliberating. We have submitted a statement in which the EU has designated it as European cultural heritage. Karsten Hønge (SF) intends to speak with Løkke [Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lars Løkke Rasmussen] and others about securing a declaration, and they have a meeting scheduled with the political spokespersons to build momentum.” Galschiøt says.
Staying in Denmark
Amid the ongoing legal dispute, Galschiøt has chosen not to travel to Hong Kong to retrieve the monument himself. While he says he is concerned about disrupting the proceedings and potentially triggering protests or demonstrations, he also believes that his connection to the Hong Kong Alliance would lead to his immediate arrest were he to return.
“There is an arrest warrant out for me, and I would be arrested immediately—though likely not for long. My reluctance to go to Hong Kong in person is not due to concerns for my own safety, but to avoid causing too much of a stir; if I were to go to Hong Kong, it would result in massive chaos and a huge commotion.” Galschiøt says.
Galschiøt is also concerned about the condition of the sculpture, which has remained inside the container since 2021. He has already considered how the monument could be restored if the court rules in his favour.
“It has broken in two. It likely has quite a bit of damage, but we will repair it when it arrives in Denmark. Maersk has said it is willing to help transport it.” He says.
The power of symbols
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the monument’s fate, Galschiøt remains certain about what the Pillar of Shame represents, both to him personally and to the wider world.
“When you create art and send it out into the world, it becomes a symbol of things in the world. The Pillar of Shame is the most important sculpture I have created,” he says.
The significance of the monument, he argues, lies partly in the power of symbols to focus attention on events that might otherwise fade from public memory. The impact of the Pillar of Shame, he says, has even surpassed what he imagined when he first created it.
“Symbols are extremely important because of their ability to focus attention and the effects that can have. I never expected the sculpture to last. I expected China to say no and Britain to say no. How big a conflict it would become was a surprise to everyone.”
More than three decades after the Pillar of Shame was first created, the sculpture remains caught between art and politics, history and the present. Whether it will ever return to public view remains uncertain. On 11 September, however, the court is expected to deliver its sentence, potentially bringing the legal battle over the monument to a close.
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