here is a link to some video of the square (not all of it may be suitable for all ages). http://www.oneandother.co.uk/
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Real People Fill In For Statue In Trafalgar Square
by Rob Gifford
All Things Considered, July 6, 2009
In the northwest corner of Trafalgar Square, in the heart of London, there is an empty base, or plinth, for a statue. Unlike the others there, the Fourth Plinth, as it is sometimes called, never had the bronze likeness of a British hero placed upon it.
Now the vacant plinth, built in 1841 for an equestrian statue that was never created, is being put to use for a new art project that began Monday. Officially called "One & Other," the project will involve 2,400 members of the general public — chosen randomly from 18,000 applicants — acting, singing, jumping, shouting or doing whatever they want upon the plinth for one hour each, around the clock for 100 days.
It's being called the ultimate democratization of art — whereby Joe or Josephine Schmo gets to stand on a plinth in the heart of the nation's capital for a whole hour under the gaze of Lord Horatio Nelson, the hero of Trafalgar, and other heroes of the Empire.
"In a way, this place is all about people who have done great and heroic deeds in the past," said the organizer, sculptor Antony Gormley. "I'm more interested in now. I'm more interested in, in a way, discovering what we are now. And this is a way of doing that."
One of those getting his 4x15 minutes of fame on opening day was 34-year-old Scott Illman, dressed up as a town crier, who spent his time on the platform advertising his two bars in London. Then there was 51-year-old Jill Gatcum, who released 60 green balloons for 60 charities before being winched down to safety.
"That was fantastic," Gatcum said. But, as always, there's just that nagging question: Is it art? Plenty of the bystanders seemed to
say yes.
"Each person gets to choose what they want to do, so in their terms, I think it's art, yes," said Londoner Denis Brooks.
"I would say yes probably," said visiting Frenchman Ben Borrell. "We are involved in the art-making, in a way. And I like it. Good concept."
But John Clothier, visiting from Toronto, wasn't so sure. "I guess it's a bit of a joke, really. … I can't see it as being art," he said. "In no way at all."
And with that, he turned and headed for the nearby National Gallery, with its collection of paintings.
Bar owner Scott Illman, 34, one of 2,400 participants chosen at random for Antony Gormley's "One & Other" project, sits on the empty Fourth Plinth in London's Trafalgar Square on Monday.
Artist Antony Gormley speaks to the crowd before the launch of his "One & Other" project, commissioned by the mayor of London.
Jill Gatcum, a 51-year-old IT consultant, releases balloons as she occupies the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square.
3 comments:
Is it art? That all depends on who is doing what. When I checked out the live stream all I saw was a woman standing up taking pictures with her camera. If this is art, then the millions of tourists in cities worldwide are walking art. There are others though, that I would consider art. The town crier/bar owner could be called marketing art. He did dress he part. The lady releasing balloons could be some form of action art like the people that used to do chalk bodies in NYC or LA to represent people killed by this, that and the other; or the people that paint themselves with silver paint to be living statues. When all is said and done: art is in the eye of the beholder.
Yes, but the "artist" is strictly the one who organized it. Whatever appears on the plinth is incidental. The art is the representation of England.. and a celebration of human agency. If the art (or otherwise) within the art is uplifting and inspiring, the expression gives hope for the future of England, and western civilization in general. If it's cheap and tawdry bar advertisements, it's not (in and of itself) any better than a billboard on the highway or the sign twirlers on the street corner.
So Ben, you don't think there is an 'art' to sign twirling? Have you ever watch professionals do it? Its incredible.
This is me just playing Devils advocate. I get what you are saying but I am fighting it with the idea that to everthing we see as mundane, there is a side of it, an expertise, that becomes incredible and therefore art.
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