Pillar of Shame is a series of sculptures by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, memorializing shameful events throughout history. These sculptures have been featured in Italy, Brazil, Mexico, and Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s Pillar was first erected in 1997 to mark the eighth anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. As a tribute to the pro-democracy protesters who were killed in Tiananmen, the statue depicts twisted bodies with anguished faces. The sculpture was one of the last iconic memorials to the martyrs of Tiananmen remaining on Hong Kong soil, and was dismantled in December 2021, against the backdrop of Beijing’s increasing repression on the once-free city. Amnesty International Norway, Hong Kong Committee in Norway, and Jens Galschiøt will exhibit a similar version of the Pillar of Shame that was featured in Hong Kong in Oslo, from May 25-mid-June. HRF, Amnesty International Norway, and the Hong Kong Committee in Norway will unveil the Pillar of Shame to serve as a reminder of how precious freedom is, and to stand in solidarity with Hong Kongers and all those living under the Chinese Communist Party’s unrelenting repression.
