Tell me more about this sculpture of a meditating philosopher outside SOAS, WC1

[editor]

Someone's nicked the plaque so I've no idea who created this or who it's supposed to represent. Someone on Twitter thinks it's Thiruvalluvar - a Tamil poet and philosopher - but does anyone know anything else?

More pics here: http://www.urban75.org/blog/sculpture-of-a-meditating-philosopher-at-soas-london/

 

[butchersapron]

Apparently there was a book in his left hand and a plaque saying who he was but both were nicked.

 

[editor]

Apparently there was a book in his left hand and a plaque saying who he was but both were nicked.

Cheers for that. It took me ages to even work out who he was.

 

[butchersapron]

He wrote/is reputed to have wrote Tirukkuṛaḷ/Kurals which is one of the great tamil works (never heard of it myself in all honesty). Statue was done in 96.

 

[editor]

Here's how he looked when first unveiled in 1996:

It gets easier to research something when you have a bit of info! Thanks again.