- Banksy said his new exhibition is in Glasgow because of its iconic Duke of Wellington statue.
- Glaswegians have been placing cones on the statue's head for the past 40 years.
- I've always loved the statue, and I hope it will inspire more people to visit Glasgow.
The artist Banksy recently announced his first solo exhibition in 14 years is being held in my home city of Glasgow, Scotland.
The exhibition, titled "Cut and Run," opened on Sunday and will take place until August 28 at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA).
The reason Banksy chose Glasgow is pretty simple: He adores the iconic Duke of Wellington statue that stands outside GoMA just as much as us locals do.
The statue of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington and former prime minister of the UK, was erected in 1844, according to The Scotsman. But the reason the statue is so famous isn't about Wellesley at all; it's all thanks to the rebellious sense of humor of Glaswegians, who have been placing a cone on top of the statue's head for the past 40 years.
In a sign welcoming guests to his new exhibit, Banksy said the statue is his "favorite work of art in the UK" because of the cone, BBC News reports.
"Despite the best efforts of the council and the police, every time one is removed another takes its place," he said, the publication added.
I can confirm that the statue is iconic and beloved by Glaswegians
As someone who was born and raised in Glasgow, the Duke of Wellington statue — which I've always simply referred to as "the cone statue" — has been a constant in my life.
I can't remember a time when the statue didn't have its cone, and throughout the years, Glaswegians have found new and hilarious ways to reinvent our favorite landmark. At Christmastime, it's not uncommon for men dressed as Santa Claus to climb on the statue for a photo-op, as The Herald reported in 2021.
The statue is seen as a symbol of the city, and you are unlikely to enter a tourist or art shop without seeing a postcard, coaster, fridge magnet, or painting without the statue on it. There is even a mural in the city with a caricatured version of the statue alongside the phrase "Are you Dancin?" in reference to Scotland's famous ceilidh dancing.
And the landmark can hold a lot of meaning to those who no longer live in the city.
Ashton Burger, an American who spent an exchange semester in Glasgow in the spring of 2018, told me she got a tattoo of the cone when she returned to Scotland for a vacation earlier this year.
Burger said she studied abroad at the University of Strathclyde after a difficult period in her life — her father had passed away in June 2017. She said her semester in Glasgow "could not have come at a better time," and she met some of her best friends in the city.
"I knew I wanted to get a tattoo representing Glasgow while actually in the city. The traffic cone was the perfect idea," she said.
"It's so specifically Glasgow and it's absolutely one of my favorite things about the city. I look at my tattoo and am immediately reminded of how much Glasgow means to me and how much my experience there helped me when I most needed it," she added.
Burger's story reminded me that the cone is more than just a fun punch line. For some, it's a symbol of how special Glasgow is to them. And it reminds me how proud I am to be from this city.
I can only hope the Banksy exhibition will inspire more people to visit and learn about Glasgow.