A sculpture inspired by a desire to bring a contemporary “everywoman” to Trafalgar Square was unveiled on London’s Fourth Plinth on Tuesday.
Lady In Blue by New York artist Tschabalala Self pays homage to a young, metropolitan woman and replaces Mil Veces Un Instante (A Thousand Times In An Instant) by Teresa Margolles.
Lady In Blue is made of bronze and the dress is painted blue.
The jewellery worn by the figure replicates the colour of lapis lazuli, a rare rock which has been used as a pigment since antiquity.
Self was announced as the winner of the commission in March 2024, along with Andra Ursuţa whose work will be unveiled on the Fourth Plinth in 2028.
The artists were independently chosen by the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, chaired by Ekow Eshun.
Self said: “My work Lady In Blue will bring to Trafalgar Square a woman that many can relate to.
“She is not an idol to venerate or a historic figure to commemorate. She is an everyday person much like the many who occupy the square daily.
“She is striding forward into our collective future with ambition, purpose and optimism. I have always found London to be an inspiring city, London is to thank for many milestones in my life.
“My first institutional show was held here in London, along with my first major gallery exhibition.
“I have come to know London as a truly global metropolis, and Lady In Blue reflects the sophistication of this city.”
Eshun said: “Lady In Blue transforms the everyday into the monumental.
“Tschabalala Self takes the familiar figure of a woman moving through the city and gives her an extraordinary presence at the heart of London.
“This powerful sculpture will invite conversation about contemporary art, giving audiences a chance to engage with the work of a remarkable and inspirational artist.”
Self is an artist working across painting, printmaking and sculpture.
Her practice explores representations of the human figure, with a particular focus on women, using sewn, printed, and painted materials. Born in New York in 1990, she lives and works in New York.
The Fourth Plinth is funded by the Mayor of London with support from Arts Council England and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The programme invites world-class artists to make work for Trafalgar Square, with a new sculpture installed on the Fourth Plinth every two years.
Fifteen works have been displayed on the plinth since 1999, beginning with Mark Wallinger’s Ecce Homo.
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