Alan Turing Memorial

The seated statue of the father-​founder of computer science can be found in the middle of Sackville Gardens. The pensive professor gazes at the flowerbed in front on him, holding an apple. There seems to be little special in how Turing is represented: an almost typical genius, humble and lost in thought. The apple is thus the most peculiar part of the monument. It refers to Isaac Newton, the father of modern math and physics. It is also the symbol of forbidden love, and Turing’s statue is well placed by Canal Street. Indeed, Turing was gay, and it was his sexuality that reportedly led the Government to doubt his integrity in keeping the state secrets intact. Turing committed suicide by injecting an apple with cianide — another reason why he is depicted holding the fruit. It is amazing to contemplate the role an object (an apple on this occasion) can play in one’s life.