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black plaque · Coventry

The Bench

Placeholder for The Bench black plaque

The Bench of Unity, crafted by artist David Dewis in March 2018, stands as a symbol of community solidarity in Coventry. This artwork was created during a period of global unrest, making its message of unity within a diverse community particularly resonant. It aims to express a commitment to inclusivity and the fostering of harmony among the city's residents.

Coventry has a rich history of promoting community cohesion and cultural understanding. The Bench of Unity reflects contemporary efforts to celebrate diversity and ensure all residents feel represented. The artwork was unveiled as Coventry was preparing to commemorate its status as City of Culture 2021, and it aligns with the city's broader aims to highlight its inclusive character and promote peaceful coexistence among its varied populations.

The Bench of Unity is situated on Spon Street in Coventry. Visitors can view the black plaque associated with the bench, which details its meaning and purpose. The artwork itself depicts three silhouetted figures seated together, representing different generations and backgrounds within the city. Observing the bench offers an opportunity to appreciate the city's dedication to diversity and community spirit.

Inscription

“The Bench of Unity: Artist Maker - David Dewis - March 2018: In a time of unparalleled anguish throughout the world there has never been a more poignant time to express unity within our diverse community. The Bench of Unity depicts three figures in silhouette form, representing an inclusive cross section of our city’s residents sitting companionably together To the left the first sitting figure represents an older lady taking a rest during a shopping trip. The centre figure is an elderly gentleman sporting a hat with a brim. A young woman in in hijab to the right makes up the trio. As Coventry celebrates being City of Culture 2012 the bench demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity and promotion of harmony with our community . Coventry City Council”
Transcribed from the black plaque at Spon Street.

Background

The Bench of Unity: Artist Maker - David Dewis - March 2018: In a time of unparalleled anguish throughout the world there has never been a more poignant time to express unity within our dic verse community. The Bench of Unity depicts three figures in silhouette form, representing an inclusive cross section of our city’s residents sitting companionably together To the left the first sitting figure represents an older lady taking a rest during a shopping trip. The centre figure is an elderly gentleman sporting a hat with a brim. A young woman in in hijab to the right makes up the trio. As Coventry celebrates being City of Culture 2012 the bench demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity and promotion of harmony with our community . Coventry City Council

Source: Open Plaques. Geographic data via OpenStreetMap.

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Data sources

Location records are drawn from open, licence-clean datasets, kept here with attribution and gratitude to the people who maintain them.

  • Open Plaques, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). See openplaques.org.
  • Wikidata, available under the CC0 1.0 Universal dedication.
  • © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence.
  • Historic England, National Heritage List for England, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. War memorial records are drawn from open community datasets (OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, NHLE) - never from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which is excluded.

Editorial descriptions, photography and tribute links are original TributeLegacy work, layered on top of the open data.

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