Maggi Hambling’s sculpture of Mary Wollstonecraft - a writer, philosopher and advocate of women’s rights - was unveiled in November 2020. It doesn’t depict Wollstonecraft herself, but represents the birth of a movement. Maggi Hambling aimed for universality: «She is Everywoman … by elevating an idea, personifying the spirit, rather than depicting the individual». In this regard, this sculpture stands in stark contrast to the traditional male heroic statues of the Victorian era. (Over 90% of London’s monuments celebrate men.)
The sculpture sparked controversy - mainly for its nudity and for objectifying the female body.
A community campaign was launched in 2010 by volunteers keen to have Wollstonecraft’s legacy remembered close to where she lived and worked. It took them 10 years to raise the £143,000 required to achieve it.