Designed by award-winning sculptor Laury Dizengremel, the statue depicts Woolf relaxing on a bench where people can sit next to her while enjoying the Richmond riverside. Among Dizengremel’s other recent public artwork commissions is the life-size bronze sculpture of 18th century landscape designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown near Hammersmith Bridge, and a bust of Mary Church Terrell for the National Association of University Women in the USA.
Cheryl Robson, team leader at Aurora Metro Arts and Media which is based in new local bookshop Books on the Rise, said: “We are delighted to have reached our goal after five years of fundraising. Finally, this world-famous writer and champion of women’s rights is being honoured with a full-size bronze statue, and we are thrilled to be introducing this to the town where she lived a hundred years ago.”
The unveiling will take place at 2.30pm on November 16, at Richmond Riverside, TW9 1EH. Also attending will be Sophie Partridge, the great-great niece of Virginia Woolf and great grand-daughter of Virginia’s sister Vanessa Bell.