Six new Fourth Plinth proposals unveiled

The six shortlisted proposals for the new Fourth Plinth commission in Trafalgar Square were unveiled today at St-Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square.

The exhibiting artists are Allora & Calzadilla; Elmgreen & Dragset; Katharina Fritsch; Brian Griffiths; Hew Locke; and Mariele Neudecker. Each artist has produced a model of their proposed artwork for the empty plinth all of which are on public display free of charge in the foyer of St-Martin-in-the-Fields until 31 October 2010. The six works are as follows:

Allora & Calzadilla present Untitled (ATM/Organ), a working ATM embedded within the Fourth Plinth, which when accessed, will trigger a functioning pipe organ, set on top of the plinth, producing sounds which will reverberate throughout the Square.

Elmgreen & Dragset present Powerless Structures, Fig.101, a brass sculpture of a boy astride his rocking horse, gently questioning the tradition for war monuments to celebrate either victory or defeat. Instead of acknowledging the heroism of the powerful, the work celebrates the heroism of growing up.

Katharina Fritsch presents Hahn / Cock, a giant cockerel in ultramarine blue, which in the setting of the square renders the situation surreal. The cockerel symbolises regeneration, awakening and strength and refers, in an ironic way, to male-defined British society and thoughts about biological determinism.

Brian Griffiths presents Battenberg, an outsized representation of the sponge cake, invented to commemorate the marriage of Queen Victoria’s granddaughter Princess Victoria of Hesse to Prince Louis of Battenberg in 1884. The work will be made from hand crafted Victorian, Edwardian and contemporary household bricks along with other traditional building materials.

Hew Locke presents Sikandar, a replica of the equestrian statue of Field Marshal Sir George White from Portland Place transformed into a fetish object, decorated with horse-brasses, charms, medals, sabres, ex-votos, jewels, Bactrian treasure and Hellenistic masks.

Mariele Neudecker presents It’s Never Too Late And You Can’t Go Back, a fictional mountainscape, that presents two images of Britain: the flipped and reversed shape of the peninsula when from seen above and its more familiar outline when viewed from below.

The selected artist is due to be announced by the Mayor of London early next year, with the installation of the final artwork taking place after the current work, Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle by Yinka Shonibare MBE, is taken down at the end of 2011.

The Fourth Plinth Programme is funded by the Mayor of London with support from Arts Council England and sees new artworks being selected for the vacant plinth in a rolling programme of new commissions. A key element of the Fourth Plinth Programme is to involve the public in debate about contemporary art in our public spaces. The public will have the opportunity to comment on the shortlisted proposals on cards at the exhibition and via the website following the unveiling of the proposals. (www.fourthplinth.co.uk)

Boris Johnson, The Mayor of London, said: “The Fourth Plinth has become the most eagerly anticipated art commission in the country and these latest proposals show why. Each of the artists has come up with a very different vision, their wit and originality offering a highly individual response to the historic backdrop of Trafalgar Square and the fact that one of the sculptures will be installed in 2012, only adds to the excitement.”

Ekow Eshun, Chair of the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, said: “The new proposals for the next Fourth Plinth commission are world-class and they find fresh and imaginative ways to engage with the historic surroundings of Trafalgar Square. They are the work of an outstanding selection of artists and the Commissioning Group is very excited by their ideas. We will have a tough time choosing between them but we look forward to making a recommendation to the Mayor later this year. All good art stimulates debate. We hope that the public will enjoy the exhibition and will share their thoughts with us.”

Moira Sinclair, London Executive Director of Arts Council England said:
“The Fourth Plinth commissions always generate excitement and debate about contemporary art – and this shortlist is set to continue this tradition as our partnership with the Mayor’s Office enters its ninth year. Delivering high quality art with audiences of millions is at the heart of what the Fourth Plinth does, and it represents what can happen when public agencies work together with a joint aim. We wish the best of luck to all the artists and look forward to finding out what the successor to Yinka’s magnificent Ship in a Bottle will be.”

Fourth Plinth Programme: Six new proposals
Dates: 19 August – 31 October 2010
Venue: Crypt foyer, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 4JJ
Opening Hours: Monday and Tuesday 8.00am – 8.00pm, Wednesday 8.00am – 7.00pm, Thursday–Saturday 8.00am – 9.00pm and Sunday 11.00am – 6.00pm.
Entry: FREE

PRESS ENQUIRIES:
Erica Bolton/ Tamsin Selby, Bolton & Quinn, 020 7221 5000
erica@boltonquinn.com or tamsin@boltonquinn.com