It’s the question on everyone’s lips (well maybe not everyone’s) – what sculpture will be next for the Fourth Plinth?
The Fourth Plinth is a platform in Trafalgar Square that is used to display different works of art as chosen by a specialist panel.
Currently the plinth David Shrigley’s Really Good – a 7m-high (23ft) sculpture of a hand giving a thumbs up sign.
The new work of art will be announced in 2018 but the shortlist has already been unveiled and includes my personal favourite – a massive scoop of ice cream with a cherry on the top!
My description does not do this piece justice – it is described in more detail as: “THE END represents exuberance and unease. Topped with a giant, unstable load, the plinth becomes a monument to over-confidence and impending collapse.”
Also on the shortlist are:
- Higher – a tall construction of a truck, oil cans, scaffold and ladders
- Untitled – a large and imposing figure is made from brown cork and white polystyrene
- Lamassu – a winged bull and protective deity that stood at the entrance to Nergal Gate of Nineveh from c 700 B.C made of empty Iraqi date syrup cans
- The Emperor’s Old Clothes – the emperor’s old clothes with no figure inside
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told the BBC: “The Fourth Plinth reflects the best of London in so many ways – it is inventive, pioneering, surprising and a source of delight, discussion and debate for millions of Londoners and visitors from across the world.”
The shortlist pieces can all be seen in the National Gallery until March 26. Which one’s your favourite?