Gift Horse on the Fourth Plinth

Hans Haacke’s Gift Horse depicts a skeletal, riderless horse - a wry comment on the equestrian statue of William IV originally planned for the plinth.

Tied to the horse’s front leg is an electronic ribbon displaying live the ticker of the London Stock Exchange, completing the link between power, money and history. The horse is derived from an etching by George Stubbs; the famous English painter whose works are represented in the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square.

Hear some of the first reactions to Hans Haacke's Gift Horse in this short video:

Commissioned by the Mayor of London as part of the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Programme, Gift Horse is the tenth sculpture to be unveiled on Trafalgar Square’s celebrated plinth.