Winner of design for Memorial to Queen Elizabeth II announced

Today, the winner of the five shortlisted ideas for a permanent memorial to HM Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for longer than any other UK Monarch, has been announced. 

Very much NOT just about a Queen sat on a horse!

Today we found out who won after an opportunity for the public to comment on the five shortlisted proposals.

The winner is Foster + Partners (designer of very big iconic projects) 

• with Yinka Shonibare (sculptor) 
• and Michel Desvigne Paysagiste (landscape architect)

To date the process has been as follows:

• September 2024: it was announced that the UK National Memorial to Queen Elizabeth II will be located in St James's Park, London
• February 2025: a Shortlist Of Design Teams Announced For National Memorial For Queen Elizabeth II
• May 2025: the Public were given a first look at Early Proposed Design Concepts for the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial site
• 24 June 2025: an announcement has been made that Foster + Partners will design the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II

This is about memorialisation as environmental art and architecture together with story-telling combined with restatements of important values and the importance of connections. Hopefully it will also involve top class project management which will get the project completed as fast as possible - as this is a very popular public park.

It's a very BIG project!

"This is about an extraordinary woman and an extraordinary reign, about her commitment to public service, her duty, her commitment to the community, to the nation and the Commonwealth" Baroness Amos, member of the The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee

I am left wondering whether the 4th Plinth in Trafalgar Square is no longer reserved for the Queen on a horse given this Memorial is going to be so much bigger and better!

Why did the Foster + Partners team win?

The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee’s selection panel found Foster + Partners’ design, balancing formal and informal elements, impressive and capable of creating an engaging landmark to endure for generations to come. The panel also valued Foster + Partners’ artistry, use of space, technical skills and their sensitivity to the memorial’s location.

The winning team also includes artist Yinka Shonibare and celebrated landscape designer, Michel Desvigne.

Where will the memorial be?

St James's Park will be home to the new Memorial and will be a hive of activity for however long it takes to complete.

This is the most royal of London’s Royal Parks. Shaped by generations of monarchs and bordered by three royal palaces, St. James’s Park is the home of ceremonial events in the capital. From royal weddings and jubilees to military parades and state celebrations – this is the park where history is made. Royal Parks

Map of the site within St James's Park
note how close it is to both Buckingham palace and government

The permanent memorial to the country's longest-reigning monarch will be placed in St James's Park, very close to Buckingham Palace and the Mall - the place for ceremonial and commemorative parades - in central London

This diagram (below) by Foster + Partners indicates how big the memorial will be reaching from The Mall through St James Park, across the Bridge and through to Birdcage Walk.

Open in a new tab to see an even bigger version.....

Diagram of how the scheme will work as a new pathway across the Park
Foster + Partners

What will the QE2 Memorial comprise? 

CHECKLISTS For Remembering Respected Artists

The last two posts I've written have both been about prominent artists and illustrators who are recently deceased. I learned a lot while writing them. As a result, I've developed this post which covers:

• Basic principles for remembering an artist
• Memberships of Art Societies
• Obituaries and Tributes
• Retrospective Exhibitions / Websites

It comments on what happens as artists get older / reach the end of their lives and includes some short checklists of things to think about if you are an artist, an art gallery or an art society and want to remember a respected artist.

Plus a reference to a free resource I've developed for all those artists whose end is nearer than their beginning.

CHECKLIST: Basic Principles for Remembering an Artist

• If an artist is respected, then celebrate their memory. 
• Have your facts and statements written in advance if possible - for tailoring and editing only. That's what all the news platforms do.
• The artist may have died but their artwork has not. It can continue to sell and generate income - but only if you are organised!
• Think about how the legacy can continue before rather than after death!

See The Art Legacy on my website Art Business Info. for Artists

GOOD PRACTICE: Obituary Pages and Legacy Sites

From the Obituaries Page on the Royal Society of British Artists website

I noted while compiling my recent blog posts that some long established art societies have now established Obituary Pages on their websites. 

It struck me that this recognised that prominent artists who have made a significant contribution to a society are NOT just those artists from history that art societies like to write about when boasting about their pedigree. They are also artists from the present.

So, by way of example, take a look at:

• Royal Society of British Artists - Obituaries Page - although interestingly this is not readily accessible via the main menu - which puzzled me.
• Pastel Society - Obituaries - accessible from the main menu - but via news rather than via members section.
• New English Art Club - List of All Past Members - This lists the artists in alphabetical order and provides a link to
• where you can see their art
• the tribute article about them

NEAC FAQs Page includes a question about past members

How you categorise lists can be a challenge. 

• Do you do it by surname - and hence are fair to all? 
• Do you group by decade of election to membership? Making it more accessible for those knowing the age of the artist....
• Do you highlight those more prominent? 
• Do you highlight past officers and those who worked hard for an art society?

There's no right answer - but it is worth giving some thought to. I'd argue there's scope for creating a database approach that allows people to search - although I doubt this will be a priority for any working member. Maybe a project for an enthusiastic and relevant skilled supporter?

CHECKLIST: Memberships of Art Societies

One of the critical things to do is to respect achievements through membership of art societies / groups 

• in the death announcement
• by the art society / art group

The thing is that these days people are getting very much older and more infirm before they die. Continuing memberships can therefore be seen as something that is marginal to their life or an expensive indulgence. Which means some artists may not be members when they die - even if they have been past members. Hence those producing obituaries of members may rule them out as no longer relevant....

GOOD PRACTICE: Create ways for members to remain members