Khaleb Brooks has been announced as the winner of a prestigious competition to design a Memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery, which will be unveiled in London in 2026. Brooks’ creation, The Wake, will be installed at West India Quay in London Docklands, a historically significant location once central to Britain’s slave trade.
The announcement was made on 23 August, marking UNESCO’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. Brooks’ design was selected from a shortlist of six proposals by an advisory panel that included prominent figures such as Zoé Whitley, director of the Chisenhale Gallery, and the artist Glory Samjolly. Their decision to choose The Wake underscores its powerful symbolism and deep connection to African heritage and the history of the transatlantic slave trade.
The Wake will be a seven-metre-high bronze cowrie shell, an object loaded with historical and cultural significance. Once used as currency in various parts of Africa, the cowrie shell became a symbol of commerce during the transatlantic slave trade, where it was used to purchase and enslave Black people. The shell, in Brooks’ words, represents “the perseverance, prosperity, and beauty rooted in African and African diasporic heritage” while simultaneously serving as a reminder of the atrocities of slavery. Brooks has pointed to the writings of the abolitionist and formerly enslaved author Olaudah Equiano, who recounted being sold for 172 cowrie shells in his memoir, as a poignant reference in the artwork.
The memorial will not only stand as a monumental sculpture but also include an engraved ramp featuring poems of recognition lined with small golden sea shells. Inside the shell, the walls will bear the names of enslaved individuals—those whose identities are known and those whose names have been lost to history, represented by redacted inscriptions.
The project is partly funded by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who has allocated £500,000 towards its realisation. This memorial forms part of Khan’s broader efforts through the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, established in 2021. The commission aims to address the presence of controversial historical figures in public spaces and promote diversity in the capital’s monuments and memorials. The new memorial will be situated near where the slaveholder Robert Milligan statue once stood before it was removed in 2020 by the Canal & River Trust.
Khaleb Brooks, originally from Chicago, is a transgender, interdisciplinary artist exploring themes of blackness, transness, and collective memory. Their practice spans various media, including painting, printmaking, and performance, and is committed to social justice. Brooks’ previous projects include a residency at Tate, where they engaged with the museum’s collection to create art and workshops addressing the transatlantic slave trade. Their work has been exhibited internationally, from the Venice Biennale to Berlin’s Schwules Museum and London’s ICA.
In addition to their artistic endeavours, Brooks has a background in international development, with experience working with the United Nations and various NGOs across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Their multifaceted career reflects a deep dedication to addressing inequality and historical injustice through creative expression.