Fourth Pedestal in Great Britain, London Resort
Rating: 8,8/10 (938 votes)  In the 40s of the 19th century, it was decided to decorate Trafalgar Square with pedestals, with which it was possible to demonstrate monuments. A statue of Admiral Nelson, the great English naval commander, was installed on one of them, other heroes of the empire were placed on the rest. The fourth pedestal was intended for King George IV, money was allocated for the sculpture, but the plan could not be completed - the monarch died, and the funds for the monument disappeared in an unknown direction. For more than a century and a half, the pedestal, which was located on the north-western side of the square, was empty. This continued until 1998, when representatives of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Arts, Industry and Commerce did not offer to use this site for temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. In response to the initiative, the government organized an independent commission, which began to develop a long-term perspective on the use of the pedestal. As a result, it was decided to order works from leading British and foreign sculptors that would be used for an exhibition on a pedestal. Contemporary artists reacted vividly to the proposal. The organizers were immediately bombarded with applications, the best of which were considered and presented to the visitors of Trafalgar Square. The Mayor of London said that the colorful contemporary artwork combined with the historic surroundings of the square create a great contrast and remind that London is a great city of culture. However, not everyone shared the mayor's enthusiasm. Some shocking and expressive works, exhibited on the Fourth Pedestal were severely criticized. Thus, according to the director of the National Gallery, the exhibited works violate the architectural character of Trafalgar Square and use the site in a farcical and inappropriate manner. During the operation of the pedestal, very extraordinary monuments have visited it: the sculpture by Bill Woodrow"Despite the history", symbolizing the victory of nature over civilization and"Monument" by the popular artist Rachel Whiteread, which looks like a mirror-inverted copy of the pedestal. Among other amazing works - a monument to Sarah Lucas called"This is for pigeons", representing a decrepit Ford car covered with plastic bird excrement, the famous work of Mark Quinn -"Pregnant Alison","Hotel for birds" by German master Thomas Schutte, We also recommend reading London stone in the UK, London resort Topic: Fourth Pedestal in Great Britain, London Resort. |
