The Fourth Plinth 

The Fourth Plinth is a plinth in Trafalgar Square in central London. The Fourth Plinth usually displays temporary artworks rather than a permanent figure or idea but this hasn't always been the case; The fourth Plinth was originally intended to hold a statue of William IV, but this could not be done due to insufficient funds. The future of the fourth plinth was debated for 150 years.

There is a plinth at each corner of the square. The two plinths in the south of the square carry sculptures of Henry Havelock and Charles James Napier. The larger plinths are based in the north side of the square and this is because they were designed to have equestrian statue and one of the northern plinths carries a statue of George IV. 

The Fourth Plinth Project was from 1999-2001 which allowed three contemporary artists to occupy the space; These were: 

Mark Wallinger with his statue called, 'Ecce Homo' (image on the left), this statue was a life-sized figure of Christ which was naked apart from a cloth around his lower half of his body, his hands behind his back, and a crown of barbed wire to represent the crown of thorns. This statue was present in 1999









Bill Woodrow with his piece which was called, 'Regardless of History' (image on the right). This piece displays a severed head crushed between a book and the roots of a tree. This piece was present during 2000.








Rachel Whiteread with her piece which was called, 'Monument' (image on the left). This piece was a cast of the plinth in transparent resin which was placed upside-down on top of the original plinth. This piece was present during 2001.




The Fourth Plinth Project was seen to be a success so therefore, after several years of being empty, the fourth plinth was in the hands of the Greater London Authority who took responsibility for Trafalgar square and the Fourth Plinth. The Fourth Plinth is now commissioned by the Mayor of London's Culture team who are under the guidance of a group which is made up of specialist advisers who guide and monitor the commissions for the plinth.

The following art works have been displayed on the Fourth Plinth since 2005 till the present day: 




Marc Quinn with a statue called 'Alison Lapper Pregenant' (image on the left). This statue is a statue of a woman called Alison Lapper, an artist who was born with no arms and shortened legs due to Phocomelia, the woman is clearly nude. This statue was present during 2005.








Thomas Schutte with his piece called, 'Model for a Hotel 2007' (image on the right). This piece presents and architectural model of a 21-storey building made from coloured glass. This piece was present during 2007.









Antony Gormley with his piece called, 'One & Other' (image on the left). This piece allowed 2,400 selected members of the public, over the course of 100 consecutive days, to spend an hour on the plinth. The members of the public were allowed to do anything they wanted to do. This piece was in place during 2009. 




Yinka Shonibare with his piece called, 'Nelson's Ship in a Bottle' (image on the right).  This piece consists of a replica of Nelson's ship but is within a bottle that is sealed with a cork. The sails are made of printed fabric in a colourful African pattern. This piece was present during 2010. 








Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset with their sculpture called, 'Powerless Structure, Fig. 101' (image on the left). This sculpture displayed a tall bronze sculpture of a boy on rocking horse. this statue was present during 2012. 








Katharina Fritsch with her statue called, 'Hahn/Cock'  (image on the right).  This sculpture shows a large blue cockerel or rooster. This sculpture was present during 2013.






All of the pieces that are displayed above have been all the art works that have been on the fourth plinth so far and already there have been pieces that are ready to be displayed for the future. Pieces such as:





Hans Haacke with his sculpture called, 'Gift Horse' (image on the left).  This sculpture is going to be of a skeletal, riderless horse. This sculpture will be present in 2015.









David Shirgley with his sculpture called, 'Really Good' (image on the right). This sculpture will be a bronze representative of a human hand in a thumbs-up gesture. The thumb is going to greatly elongated. This sculpture is planned to be up in 2016.






Personally I can't wait to see these sculptures on the Fourth plinth so it's something I will be looking forward to.