Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar Square

From July 6th-October 14th, One and Other, the highly- anticipated public work by Antony Gormley will be on view in London’s Trafalgar Square. The plinth was originally designed by Sir Charles Barry and built in 1841 to display an equestrian statue. There were not enough funds available at the time to create a statue and so the plinth was sometimes referred to as the ‘empty plinth’. In 1998 the RSA commissioned a series of three works by Mark Wallinger, Bill Woodrow, and Rachel Whiteread to be temporarily displayed on the plinth. Ever since, the ‘empty plinth’ has been home to a number of temporary works of art commissioned from leading national and international artists.

Unlike other artists who have been asked to create work for the plinth over the past few years, Gormley has left the plinth empty only to be filled for 100 days and nights by Brits who are to be forklifted onto the 7 meter high structure every hour. So many people applied for this public event that a lottery system was put into place. Though some celebrities have been selected (they are keeping mum about who they are and when they will be on the plinth), others such as Dame Judi Dench were rejected for the project. It seems fitting that real everyday people should be honored and are the best means to represent their country and all of humankind. If selected, one is allowed to do whatever they like on the plinth, of course within reason. Way to go Antony, expanding our notions of what art is!

Here is a live stream to the plinth:

http://www.oneandother.co.uk/