Nottingham: Sculpture model showcasing role of women unveiled

The bronze sculpture will be positioned at the Broad Marsh Centre in 2024

The scale model of a sculpture which showcases the role women have played in industry has gone on display in Nottingham.

A model of Standing in This Place - an artwork of two women holding hands - has been unveiled to the public.

The bronze sculpture is set to be positioned in the Broad Marsh area of the city in 2024.

Nottingham sculptor Rachel Carter hopes it will readdress the balance of women being under-represented in art.

Sculptor Rachel Carter is leading the project

The sculpture represents the stories of women working in factories and cotton mills in the Midlands and enslaved women in the cotton fields of America and the Caribbean.

The scale model is on display at the Nottingham Society of Artists, in Friar Lane, until 16:00 BST on Sunday.

Ms Carter, who has led the project along with hundreds of women across the region, said: "We tried to find two women for the sculpture who would represent a woman working in a cotton field and a woman working in a factory.

"The sculpture shows them coming together in this joyous meting and dressed in historic costumes, which have been stitched together by women from Nottingham."

The model of the sculpture was unveiled at the Nottingham Society of Artists on Tuesday

In an attempt to find the models for the sculpture, Ms Carter organised numerous dancing and activity workshops.

The project claims that, excluding members of the aristocracy, only 5% of public statues in Britain are of women.

Ms Carter added: "There were two ladies in particular and as they were dancing and moving together - there was a beautiful connection.

"For a moment I looked at them and realised they were going to be my models."

The sculpture was inspired by Louise Garvey and Judy Robinson

The two women chosen for the project are Louise Garvey and Judy Robinson.

Ms Garvey told the BBC: "It was during the period of doing the dance together for some reason we just clicked - there was just something there between us.

"We didn't know we would be chosen, we were just doing our thing.

"Personally, I feel really honoured [to see the sculpture] and I've got a lot of pride."

Fundraising for the sculpture has started and a target of £300,000 has been set to fund the project.