Pillar sculptor seeks Danish help for Hong Kong return
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Danish artist Jens Galschiot said he would ask his government to negotiate with Hong Kong for the return of the “Pillar of Shame”, the sculpture commemorating those killed in the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. He said he wanted Denmark to formally recognise the eight-metre work as art and part of Danish cultural heritage so it could be returned to what he called its rightful owner. The dispute has regained attention after the High Court jailed three former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China and adjourned a decision on the sculpture’s disposal
Key Points
- Galschiot told the Post he would ask Danish authorities to negotiate officially with Hong Kong over the sculpture’s return
- He said Denmark should declare the eight-metre “Pillar of Shame” a work of art and part of the country’s cultural heritage
- Galschiot said he had already raised the matter with the Danish parliament’s foreign policy committee
- He added that a cross-party group in the European Parliament and the European Union’s Hong Kong office had also followed up
- Chief Superintendent Steve Li Kwai-wah of the police national security department rejected Galschiot’s ownership claim on Friday, while the court deferred disposal arguments
Why It Matters
The sculpture’s fate now sits at the intersection of a national security case, a property dispute and possible diplomatic engagement involving Denmark and European institutions. For Hong Kong, the next court arguments and any official response to Denmark could shape how politically sensitive artworks tied to past public commemorations are handled