By chance, I have found myself around Trafalgar Square several times this week, and I have seen four different
people on the plinth.
So far I have seen
- a guy who was crouched down, as if he were sketching on the plinth, like a pavement artist; this could have been ironic;
- a guy who was protesting how tax avoidance in the UK hurt people abroad - I think through a lack of funds for overseas aid (I wasn't hanging around for the details). This got a little more interesting when he was heckled (a lot of people seemed to be mumbling that they shouldn't be giving to overseas aid anyway - I should really have tackled that at source) - and the heckler tried to lob a bottle of water at him. The guy on the plinth had a good line in banter and coped with that very well
- a guy who had his right arm up a large glove puppet, and was performing to the crowd; I couldn't hear whether he was any good or not.
I have no idea what the fourth person was, or what she was doing - at least, I hope she was a she.
I don't believe any of what they were doing was art, nor frankly that they deserved to be on the plinth. But of course that isn't the idea: what they do isn't necessarily art (though I do hope there are maybe some more interesting performers who do create art of some form) - I guess perhaps the pavement artist was creating something for the other plinth-stander (and actually, I
really like that idea!) - but that isn't the point.
The artistry comes in Anthony Gormley's idea of throwing the plinth open: after years of creating art from his own body, now he is creating art from others, live on the plinth.
Personally, I think I'd have preferred him to stick one of his own sculptures up there, but perhaps I will in time warm to the plinth.
Gratuitous Gormley sculpture pic
