David Bowie Statue to Be Unveiled in English Town

According to certain accounts, David Bowie is said to have debuted his Ziggy Stardust persona in the early ’70s at a club called Friars in Aylesbury, a town in Buckinghamshire, England. Honoring his legacy, Aylesbury will unveil a David Bowie statue in the town’s Market Square on Sunday, March 25, the BBC reports. (Bowie referenced the square on Ziggy’s “Five Years.”) The bronze sculpture, called Earthly Messenger, was created by Andrew Sinclair. The statue features Bowie’s various personae, including Ziggy. Below, check out a miniature mock-up of Earthly Messenger, as well as photos of Sinclair with the life-size figure.

In addition to the statue, there is a Change.org campaign for Aylesbury to change its name to “Aylesbowie.” The campaign was started by David Stopps, a promoter for Friars Aylesbury who started the initial fundraiser for the Bowie statue. Stopps told the BBC that he thinks the name change is possible because “since records began there have been 57 variations of the town’s name.” A spokesman for Buckinghamshire County Council commented, “It’s an interesting idea and perhaps on 25 March we could all think ‘Aylesbowie’—just for one day!”

Read Pitchfork’s feature “Anthems for the Moon: David Bowie’s Sci-Fi Explorations.”