The statues now departed

For some time now, the dishevelled, windblown promenades of Brixton station have been distinguished by items that are noticeable by their absence. On each of the three platforms, north, south and abandoned, familiar faces to regulars are no longer greeting travellers, despite having stoically braved whatever conditions have been thrown at them since they first appeared in 1986, after being selected by a panel including architect Sir Hugh Casson.

Kevin Atherton's Platforms Piece - his three bronze statues of figures associated with Brixton, Peter Lloyd on platform one, mother Joy Battick on the unused platform three and a white German woman called Karin Heistermann on platform two - has been removed pending restoration. But the process has dragged on painfully slowly with no timetable, amended or otherwise, as to when they might return.

No plaque or explanation plate has ever accompanied the statues as they have waited in their spots. Anonymous, unmistakably urban characters, they have stood, like everyone, impassively, waiting, hoping, for their train finally to arrive. Their continual presence has been strangely reassuring, anchors of serenity, ignoring the hubhub that has swirled around them. Their removal from service, therefore, was something of a shock.

They were only listed in 2016, with Historic England noting that the statues of Mr Lloyd and Ms Battick are:

'believed to be the first sculptural representation of British black people in England in a public art context, created for Brixton which is synonymous with the historical development of black British culture in the post-war period'.

First to leave - now for at least two years - was the statue of Karin, carrying a bag, taken from platform two. For a time, Southeastern put a sign up near her position saying she had been 'temporarily removed... for careful restoration'. The company added:

'We know how important these listed statues are to Brixton and to the community, and we'll replace the statue as soon as we can'.

I took a photograph of that sign on October 19, 2019. It has vanished leaving nothing in its stead, the statue hasn't reappeared and subsequently the other two figures have been removed too.

Considering how anxious some have recently been about the preservation of statues and some of the frankly embarrassing stuff said about their potential removal, with politicians absurdly warning against the 'rewriting of history', eager to protect whatever they hope is a popular conception of what is Britain's heritage, the lack of concern of the whereabouts of these geninely significant pieces, is something of a mystery.

The need for conservation is, of course, appreciated, but the apparent lack of urgency to reinstall the works, the paucity of information over what it actually happening and lack of a timetable for what can be expected, is very concerning. It may, of course, simply be that the pandemic has thrown whatever schedule that did exist into chaos.

Southeastern have said this last week: 'They were removed last year, and we've since engaged a specialist contractor to scope and undertake any repairs, plus carry out a full restoration so they can be reinstated in their right place at the station'.

Adding: 'We'll have more to say on this very soon'.

I can't wait. 

But, in the way passengers fear a train might never arrive when their services are disrupted, the complete absence of the information on the future of these statues feeds fears they may never return.

Note: This excellent piece on Brixton Blog has more on Platforms Piece and the Historic England entry can be read here