Futurecity was commissioned by the City of London to curate a permanent public artwork marking the 2007 bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. Gilt of Cain is a layered collaboration between sculpture, poetry, architecture and graphic design, embedded within the everyday public realm of the Square Mile.

The work is located at Fen Court, a pedestrian route between Fenchurch Street and Fenchurch Avenue, chosen for its proximity to St Mary Woolnoth Church. It was here that William Wilberforce was influenced by the anti-slavery sermons of Reverend John Newton, a former slave trader turned abolitionist.

Sculptor Michael Visocchi created 17 carved granite columns abstracted from the form of growing sugarcane. Grouped around a central viewing podium, the arrangement suggests a gathering - open to interpretation as sermon, political rally or slave auction.

Poet Lemn Sissay responded with an original poem that weaves biblical reference, the language of the stock exchange and the moral contradictions of Britain’s role in the slave trade. Lines are engraved into each column, with the full poem presented on a nearby plaque.

Working with Hat-trick Design, bespoke typography was developed based on early abolitionist publications produced close to the site, anchoring the work firmly in place and history.

Gilt of Cain stands as a reflective and challenging work of public art - one that invites pause, interpretation and conversation within the everyday life of the City.

Photography by Ron Bambridge