Unveiling of Hibiscus Rising

Date: November 24, 2023 • Location: City and Borough of Leeds, United Kingdom

Hibiscus Rising (pictured), a sculpture commemorating the life of David Oluwale, was unveiled in Leeds.

Hibiscus Rising (2023) is an outdoor sculpture in Leeds, England, by artist Yinka Shonibare which was unveiled on 24 November 2023 as part of LEEDS 2023. It commemorates the life and death of David Oluwale, a British-Nigerian man whose death in 1969 involved two members of Leeds City Police. Commissioned by LEEDS 2023 and the David Oluwale Memorial Association (DOMA), in partnership with Leeds City Council, the sculpture is, according to academic Dr. Emily Zobel Marshall, the first public artwork in the city to reflect its cultural diversity.