​UK Town of Aylesbury Honours David Bowie with New Statue

As original published by Sarah Murphy on Exclaim!

The British town of Aylesbury is set to celebrate its unique connection to the late David Bowie with a new statue — and maybe even a name change.
 
The bronze statue, sculpted by Andrew Sinclair, will be unveiled in the Market Square (referenced on "Five Years") on March 25. It's been dubbed "Earthly Messenger" and features a 2002-era Bowie glancing back at past personas like Ziggy Stardust. You can get a look at the statue over here.
 
The art installation was initially funded by a crowdfunding campaign started by David Stopps. The same guy has now launched a petition to formally change the name of the town from Aylesbury to "Aylesbowie."
 
He claims it's not a huge leap for the town, given that 57 variations of its name have appeared in records throughout history.
 
A county council spokesperson told the BBC, "It's an interesting idea and perhaps on 25 March we could all think 'Aylesbowie' — just for one day!"
 
Bowie has long had a connection to the Buckinghamshire town, as it was home to the debut performance of his Ziggy Stardust character. He returned frequently, debuting two albums at shows at a venue called Friars in the '70s.