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Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square
Elmgreen & Dragset and Katharina Fritsch were announced today by The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson as the winning artists of the next two commissions for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, London.
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1. Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square
Elmgreen & Dragset and Katharina Fritsch were announced today by The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson as the winning artists of the next two commissions for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, London.
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2. Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square
Elmgreen & Dragset’s, Powerless Structures, Fig.101, will be unveiled in 2012. The sculpture portrays a boy astride his rocking horse and will be cast in bronze. The child is elevated to the status of a historical hero in the context of the iconography of Trafalgar Square. Instead of acknowledging the heroism of the powerful, the work celebrates the heroism of growing up and gently questions the tradition for monuments predicated on military victory or defeat. In this case there is not yet a history to commemorate – only a future to hope for.
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3. Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square
Katharina Fritsch’s proposal Hahn / Cock is a giant cockerel in ultramarine blue. In the setting of the square this extraordinary animal, its unnatural scale and bold colour, renders the situation unreal, bringing a sense of hallucination and uncertainty to the genteel Georgian architecture. The cockerel, a popular motif in modernist art, symbolises regeneration, awakening and strength. The sculpture will be unveiled in 2013.
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4. Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: "All of the shortlisted artists show what an extraordinary crucible the Fourth Plinth is for contemporary art. It continues to spark the imagination and there has been a tremendous response from the public. As we head towards 2012 - a pivotal year for culture as well as sport - these witty and enigmatic creations underline London's position as one of the most exciting cities for art and are sure to keep people talking."
