Modern art in Trafalgar Square

Readers who have been to London will know that like most cities of its age, it has plenty of statues, a large proportion of them dating back to the 19th and early 20th century, although in recent years there has been another spate of monument building, mostly connected with the Second World War - which one might have thought was safely in the past.

And even readers who have not been to London will probably know about the tallest such statue, that of Nelson in Trafalgar Square. But Trafalgar Square also has lions and four plinths. Three of the four plinths are occupied, I think with equestrian statues. (Despite being a regular visitor I am not too sure on that point). The fourth plinth, why I do not know, does not have a permanent occupant. But for the last few years it has had temporary occupants - more details at http://www.london.gov.uk/fourthplinth/. I have included here a shot of the current occupant.

Now during the coming summer it has been decided to have a peice of performance art. That is to say for 100 consecutive days and nights, the plinth will be occupied by a succession of people, one after the other, for an hour at a time. Apart from it being one person at a time, I think that the main rule is that you can do what you like but you have to be able to carry any equipment you might want to use. I have no idea how many people will apply, but I expect that it will be a lot more than the 2,500 or so places available. I am busily thinking of a suitable stunt for myself.

And I do think that stunt is the right word. A bit of fun, but I would not dignify this sort of thing with the name of art, despite the chap who dreamed it up calling himself a sculptor. All those old masters in the National Gallery adjacent must be turning in their graves.