ALL THAT'S LEFT IS EMILY'S SHOES

A statue of Emily Murphy created by Donna Marchyshyn-Shymko was originally installed in Emily Murphy Park in 1992. On Tuesday City of Edmonton park workers were doing routine maintenance when they discovered that all that remained of the statue were the shoes. Renee Williams, executive director of the Edmonton Arts Council the arts council which looks after public artwork in the parks, said they were shocked, surprised and disappointed.

Emily Murphy was one of Alberta’s “Famous Five” who fought and won for women to be recognized as persons in the British North America Act, however her legacy shifted in recent years when her writings revealed racist undertones. Her racist reputation, was why her statue was painted red in 2020 and maybe the reason why the statue was recently stolen.

Hiding or getting rid of the Emily Murphy statue can't be easy so the Edmonton Arts Council is hoping investigators will locate the statue.