Trafalgar Square The Fourth Plinth

[Graham C]

This is not art

[david3103]

Live webcam feed here - http://www.oneandother.co.uk/

[The-Crow]

best one so far was a man dressed as a Tuna , asking us to save the Tuna from over fishing

Worst was turd man complaining, half the world does not have a toilet

[The-Crow]

Its 1am and Helen Barker is up there as Britannia

Theres a lot of drunken hecklers giving her some stick

[The-Crow]

In case you missed it, heres the opening wih Boris Johnston

[thetank]

Some thoughts to chuck about.

It probably doesn't have much artistic merit if you view it terms of individual works performed by the people on the Plinth.
The artist is not on the top of the plinth. The artist is the unseen creator and engineer of the whole idea.

The piece perhaps does have artistic merit then, if we view the people on the plinth not as artists, rather they are part of the work. Indeed, what they do being largely irrelevant to the meaning and impact of the piece as a whole.

I guess you could see it as a somewhat satirical metaphor on today's society and it's celebrity consumption. That's my take on it anyway. Else that or any number of things that stem from the look and see what the British public do with a plinth and 60 minutes idea.

As an aside I guess this isn't "proper" street theatre because of the detachment and physical distance from the street and it's people. In keeping with my interpreatation of the piece as a whole though, you could see this as being deliberate. The protaganists and their (near enough) 15 minutes being detached from the real world, you can view them at a distance only. The plinth is the TV and the magazine.


Whatever the story, I do like pieces of art that involve members of the public viewing the art, or interacting with it in any sense, as part of the art itself.

Perhaps the late night time slot that the women dressed in the silly outfit was given was not an accident. Would people going home from a night out have hurled abuse at a man with a camera? Probably not I think.
I like the idea or drunk people wanting to be derisory but unwittingly becoming part of a piece of art in the way the artist intended.


Then again, it could just be on the level and pants.

[The-Crow]

Thanks for the comments Tank,

One guy today from 11am to 12 noon just stood and watched everyone looking at him

When asked why he did not do anything, he shouted " Its just great to be up here, and to see the view"

Next up was a lady with 1000 paper airplanes each with a message.The kids loved chasing the planes and the crowd encouraged her to see how far they would go.

Most popular with the crowd a few days ago was the guy throwing chocolates into the crowd

As a retired builder,I cannot understand why there is no handrail around the plinth.

 Any health and safety inspector would issue a prohibition notice , and condemn anyone going up there.

The elevator has handrails and gates , but a strong gust of wind could blow a plinthers over the side for sure

[boldie]

As a retired builder,I cannot understand why there is no handrail around the plinth.

 Any health and safety inspector would issue a prohibition notice , and condemn anyone going up there.

The elevator has handrails and gates , but a strong gust of wind could blow a plinthers over the side for sure

This might make me watch it.

[Cf]

As a retired builder,I cannot understand why there is no handrail around the plinth.

 Any health and safety inspector would issue a prohibition notice , and condemn anyone going up there.

The elevator has handrails and gates , but a strong gust of wind could blow a plinthers over the side for sure

This might make me watch it.

It looks like there's a net to catch them though

[gatso]

it actually makes me happy that there is something in this country that the h&s morons haven't ruined

[The-Crow]

If anyone does trip or fall, the netting will act as a trampoline and bounce them over the side.

Its a long way down, about 25 feet on the one side

[Cf]

If anyone does trip or fall, the netting will act as a trampoline and bounce them over the side.

Its a long way down, about 25 feet on the one side

*tunes in*

[gatso]

paper plane woman would've been screwed if it rained for her hour

[boldie]

If anyone does trip or fall, the netting will act as a trampoline and bounce them over the side.

Its a long way down, about 25 feet on the one side

I think you just sold me on this. Going to the metoffice website first to make sure it's windy...if it is I'm tuning in.

[AndrewT]

I guess you could see it as a somewhat satirical metaphor on today's society and it's celebrity consumption. That's my take on it anyway. Else that or any number of things that stem from the look and see what the British public do with a plinth and 60 minutes idea.

I think this is it.

Essentially, the British public have been given the chance to show what they would do with an hour of attention. They've mostly

a) highlighted some cause important to them
b) dressed up in costumes
c) generally arsed about

all of which I think are fair enough.

The guy that's up there now says he's just going to go up there and eat his lunch, which he never normally manages to get enough peace and quiet to do when he's at work, which is nice.