elmgreen & dragset unveiled on 4th plinth trafalgar square

At long last the Powerless Structures, Fig. 101 by Elmgreen & Dragset - otherwise to be known as (probably!) the golden rocking horse – will be unveiled by Joanna Lumley in London’s Trafalgar Square tomorrow –  Thursday 23 February 2012. The recently commissioned competition-winning sculpture (see previous blogs linked below) is to occupy the notorious and long empty 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square.  It was a fitting winner and my runaway favourite – I cannot wait to see it in place.

Here is what the artists say: “In this portrayal of a boy astride his rocking horse, a child has been elevated to the status of a historical hero, though there is not yet a history to commemorate. As in a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, this enfant terrible’ gently mocks the authoritarian pose often found in the tradition of equestrian sculptures. His wild gesture, mimicking the adult cavalier, is one of pure excitement — there will be no tragic consequences resulting from his imaginary conquest.”

Everyone is welcome to celebrate the unveiling by Miss Lumley between 9 and 10am. I am not entirely sure what she knows about art or sculpture, but hey, who cares? – she is after all a rather theatrical fantasy figure like the statute – and ex-Bond girls are in any case allowed to do what they like!

My previous blogs on the subject:

Elmgreen & Dragset win battle of Trafalgar

The Battle of Trafalgar – the Fourth Plinth

Related articles

• Off their rockers: the artists behind the latest addition to the fourth plinth (guardian.co.uk)
• The battle of Trafalgar Square: six artists vie for fourth plinth spot (independent.co.uk)
• New Fourth Plinth sculpture to be unveiled next week (telegraph.co.uk)

elmgreen & dragset win battle of trafalgar

OK, I am feeling very smug. I correctly predicted in a previous blog  E&D as the clear winners of the competition to fill the vacant Trafalgar Square fourth plinth. Admittedly it was not a particuarly difficult task given the quality of the opposition but thank goodness the judging comittee ‘got it right’ – well, in my view at least!

Adrian Searle in The Guardian was one in particular who also perceived it as a clear winner – their ‘golden boy on a rocking horse is by far the best. Like Fritsch’s cockerel, but unlike Locke’s work, it avoids being kitsch. The simplified detail and expression feel just right. Leaning back and with one arm raised aloft, he’s more than a toy boy. This is the child as hero of the battles of his imagination.’

The excellent Victoria Miro gallery represents E&D in the UK and were of course quick to congratulate them. This is what they say about the work:

‘In this portrayal of a boy astride his rocking horse, a child has been elevated to the status of a historical hero, though there is not yet a history to commemorate – only a future to hope for. Elmgreen & Dragset’s work proposes a paraphrase of a traditional war monument beyond a dualistic worldview predicated on either victory or defeat. Instead of acknowledging the heroism of the powerful, Powerless Structures, Fig. 101 celebrates the heroism of growing up.’

The plinth commission is typical of their work which reconfgures the familar with great invention and humour. They recently created ‘The Collectors’  for the Nordic Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (right) – a recreated ’home’ deserted save for a body floating in a pool. Other works have included siting a Prada boutique in the centre of the Texan desert, creating a pool diving board from the window of a Californian home and transforming a venue in to a subway station.

Always redefining and confounding expectations can I suggest to Boris that they ask E&D to move underground from the Trafalgar Square plinth and turn the Tube in to an efficiently working service? Perhaps too much to ask – even for them!

I should note that in addition Katharina Fritsch’s giant blue cockerel is a second ‘winner’ which will be displayed in 2014 following E&D’s work.

Related Articles

• Huge blue cockerel set for Fourth Plinth (bbc.co.uk)
• Sculptures set for Fourth Plinth (bbc.co.uk)
• Rocking horse child wins place on Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth (guardian.co.uk)
• Trafalgar Square Fourth Plinth art choices revealed (telegraph.co.uk)