London's Public Sculptures Favor Animals Over Women, Study Reveals

A study by Art UK found that London has twice as many animal sculptures as those honoring women. Among approximately 1,500 monuments in the city, analysis of 1,100 shows 20% depict named men, while only 4% recognize women, with many from the royal family. Animal sculptures make up 8%, featuring birds, cats, dogs, horses, lions, a tortoise, a squirrel, and terrapins. For notable individuals, nine sculptures represent men of color, and two depict women of color: a 2012 monument to Noor Inayat Khan, a special agent executed at Dachau Concentration Camp, and a 2016 bust of British-Jamaican nurse Mary Seacole. The research was released today alongside an announcement by London mayor Sadiq Khan of a £1 million fund to diversify the capital's monuments and landmarks. More sculptures are yet to be included in the ongoing survey.