Four-meter black woman in sweatpants and trainers: New statue in Rotterdam draws both praise and criticism

The new statue was unveiled on Station Square in Rotterdam on Friday. British sculptor Thomas J. Price, who has Caribbean roots, created Moments Contained. There are similar images of it in London and New York: every time black men and women do something mundane, like look at their smartphones. He calls those creatures “every man” and “every woman,” because they are not based on a specific person, but rather on different people. Through his images, Price wants to convey the feeling of being “an outcast like the other.”

The sculpture in Rotterdam, of a young woman in sweatpants and sneakers with fists in pockets, was made by Price in 2022. The bronze artwork is four meters high and simply stands on the ground, not on a plinth. He calls his creation “stoic, flexible and vulnerable”. “You can tell the indifference is apparent by the imprint of her knuckles in the pockets of her trousers.”

‘Containing Moments’ is the new starting point for a sculpture trail through the Dutch city. Within a few days, the statue had become a popular attraction in Rotterdam. It is often so busy in the area that onlookers have to line up to take a picture.

Upon unveiling the statue, Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Abu Talib predicted that this would become the most photographed place in his city. The photo became so well known in a few days that the demonstration that followed the verdict in the Sanda Dia trial will leave there next weekend.