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| An idea for the site to place the sculpture. This is not the actual design or size it is an artists impression Image generated by AI by Moira Kenny-Campbell |
The Sound Agents, artist duo John and Moira, are busy working on an idea for a public sculpture for Liverpool Chinatown. This is not a new idea, rumour has it, "the idea was first written on the back of a cigarette packet in the Nook pub in Nelson Street after members of the community had a few drinks a whole life time ago" Brian Wong one of the founding members and Chief Executive of Liverpool Chinese Business Association
The Sound Agents are currently carrying out consultation on Friends of Liverpool Chinatown Facebook Group Friends of Liverpool Chinatown | Facebook and arranging a number of meetings with community and business people in the area and Liverpool city council.
This public sculpture will serve as a permanent act of
remembrance connected to Liverpool’s docklands and Chinatown, located a short
walk from the oldest Chinese arch in Europe.
The area has long been home to seafaring communities, with
hundreds of local families dependent on dock work and the Merchant Navy.
Liverpool played a key role in the movement of the Chinese Labour Corps during
the First World War, with personnel passing through the city en route to
France. During the Second World War, more than 20,000 Chinese seamen were
stationed in Liverpool, contributing significantly to Britain’s wartime
maritime effort.
In 1946, over 2,000 Chinese seamen were forcibly
repatriated. Many were never seen again. Their families, including partners and
children who remained in Liverpool, were left without explanation or
recognition, often believing they had been abandoned.
The proposed sculpture will commemorate:
- Seamen
of all backgrounds connected to Liverpool’s docks
- The
Chinese sailors who lived and worked in the city
- The
families affected by loss, separation, and long-term silence
By creating a permanent, accessible artwork in the public
realm, the project addresses a significant gap in public acknowledgement and
contributes to a more inclusive understanding of Liverpool’s maritime and
social history.