Breadcrumb
Sculpture celebrating hijab to be unveiled in UK town next month
A new sculpture celebrating Muslim women who wear the hijab head covering will be installed next month in a town near Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
The 'Strength of the Hijab' was designed by English visual artist Luke Perry and will be erected in the English industrial town of Smethwick in the West Midlands.
The sculpture is five metres tall and weighs about a tonne.
"So we can finally start sharing photos of the new piece, Strength of the Hijab soon to be galvanised and installed in Smethwick," Perry wrote on an Instagram post with photos of the sculpture.
An inscription on the sculpture reads: "It is a woman’s right to be loved and respected whatever she chooses to wear. Her true strength is in her heart and mind."
The New Arab has reached out to Perry for comment. Perry's previous work includes the 'Black British History is British History' sculpture located in Birmingham.
According to a 2021 census, there were around 3.87 million Muslims in England and Wales, making up about 6.5% of their combined population of 60 million.
Birmingham has the largest Muslim community in England, followed by Bradford, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Manchester, and the London Borough of Newham.