The events leading to his drowning have been described as "the physical and psychological destruction of a homeless, black man whose brutal, systematic harassment was orchestrated by members of the Leeds city police force".

[4][5] The David Oluwale Memorial Association (DOMA) was established as a charity in 2012 (although it had been first convened as a community committee at Leeds Beckett University in 2007).

[13] Sited in Meadow Lane in Aire Park, the sculpture was unveiled as part of LEEDS 2023, the city's unofficial year of culture.

When discussing the ideas behind the sculpture, Shonibare said that he wanted to focus on joy and healing as themes, rather than the circumstances of Oluwale's death.

Co-chair of the David Oluwale Memorial Association, Emily Zobel Marshall, described the sculpture as the first public work in the city that "reflects the cultural diversity of our people".

He is to be remembered as both victim and agent, a man who struggled perpetually against insuperable odds to make a good life as a migrant to Britain.Previous efforts to commemorate David Oluwale by Leeds Civic Trust's Blue Plaque scheme were vandalised in a racially motivated attack.