Trafalgar Square's fourth plinth

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

lol......I like nudes but they should really be somewhat attractive if they are going to be placed alongside the other 'heroic' art in thecenter of one of the worlds great cities.
I am not offended by her statue.........
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I'm non too keen on the next effort either............imo it's even less appropriate.....but at least it's not trying to be pc or confrontational.....

No, it's made of plastic and looks like the left overs of the first prototype of ker-plunk. Brilliant

I don't think the Lapper statue is either pc or confrontational - I think the artist was truly inspired by a rather magnificant lady who deals with the trials of life a lot better than us more fortunate, fully limbed people.

Originally Posted by orangebird

I don't think the Lapper statue is either pc or confrontational - I think the artist was truly inspired by a rather magnificant lady who deals with the trials of life a lot better than us more fortunate, fully limbed people.

From what I heard on the radio yesterday, the artist's only real interest is in shock value, which is why the statue looks quite shoddy close-up - it's made of moulded pieces stuck together rather than being properly sculpted. His 'skill' is in shocking people, not producing quality art.

I think Lapper has allowed herself to be exploited. I have no objection to highlighting disability as an issue and I don't object to the statue being there. I'm just not comfortable with the motivation of the person who made it.

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by Chris T

From what I heard on the radio yesterday, the artist's only real interest is in shock value, which is why the statue looks quite shoddy close-up - it's made of moulded pieces stuck together rather than being properly sculpted. His 'skill' is in shocking people, not producing quality art.

My prayers have been answered! Thank you! This is what I have ben saying all along........
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Originally Posted by orangebird

No, it's made of plastic and looks like the left overs of the first prototype of ker-plunk. Brilliant .

.and it's just a place for those winged rats to roost!

[orangebird]

Whatever his motive (and like the law about breastfeeding on public etc) - Anything like this that forces people to address their prejudices isn't a bad thing IMO.

Originally Posted by Chris T

From what I heard on the radio yesterday, the artist's only real interest is in shock value, which is why the statue looks quite shoddy close-up - it's made of moulded pieces stuck together rather than being properly sculpted. His 'skill' is in shocking people, not producing quality art.

"This is 11.5 tonnes of bright-white marble hewn from the Tuscan mountains; it took four Italian craftsmen 10 months to carve its shape........ The final month of work has seen Quinn's sculpture carefully polished with sandpaper and pumice, giving it a blinding white sheen from which sheets of light seem to bounce." http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...&postcount=106
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Originally Posted by orangebird

Whatever his motive (and like the law about breastfeeding on public etc) - Anything like this that forces people to address their prejudices isn't a bad thing IMO.

Indeed. And the siting is important. As the artist says, he want's it to be noticed whereas most established public art simply blends into the landscape and is ignored.

"He hopes the statue might encourage people to examine again our landscape of public sculpture. "No one really looks at it," he said. "But this statue will mess with people's subconscious. It's as if someone has come into your room when you're not there and moved the bed."

The sculpture, selected from a list of submissions by the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, under the auspices of the mayor of London, will tower over the square for 18 months, after which it will be replaced by Thomas SchÃÃâ€*’¼tte's Hotel for the Birds. Quinn hopes, however, that this will not be the end for Alison Lapper Pregnant. He would like it to be bought by a sympathetic individual, and permanently displayed in London - "maybe next to Field Marshall Haig, on Whitehall". He believes London is the only city in the world that could have commissioned such a sculpture. "It's a city that's not afraid of taking risks. It's a place that's full of tradition, but also about innovation, capable of embracing the future. And it's a city of diversity - this work embraces that, too."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/st...568604,00.html

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Chris T

From what I heard on the radio yesterday, the artist's only real interest is in shock value, which is why the statue looks quite shoddy close-up - it's made of moulded pieces stuck together rather than being properly sculpted. His 'skill' is in shocking people, not producing quality art.

It's also interesting that they noted when discussing it on the radio that he wasn't that interested in her until he found out she was pregnant because of the extra shock value.

[Jules]

So it was 4 Italians that made it and not this artist fella?

[orangebird]

Originally Posted by Xaccers

It's also interesting that they noted when discussing it on the radio that he wasn't that interested in her until he found out she was pregnant because of the extra shock value.

What radio programme was this? Was Quinn actually involved in any of these conversations?

Originally Posted by Xaccers

It's also interesting that they noted when discussing it on the radio that he wasn't that interested in her until he found out she was pregnant because of the extra shock value.

Yep, I wanted to include something about that in my post but I didn't hear all of it. I was listening to it while I waited for Kwik Fit to open. They raised the shutters at that point and I had to make a dash for it, to hand in my keys and get to the station on time.

How strange that someone would want to use an image of a disabled, pregnant woman in order to 'mess with people's subconscious'. The more I think about it, the more puzzled I am that Lapper allowed it to happen.

[Shaun]

From seeing her on TV I can't believe she's have posed if she thought she was be used purely for shock value.

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by Chris T

Yep, I wanted to include something about that in my post but I didn't hear all of it. I was listening to it while I waited for Kwik Fit to open. They raised the shutters at that point and I had to make a dash for it, to hand in my keys and get to the station on time.

How strange that someone would want to use an image of a disabled, pregnant woman in order to 'mess with people's subconscious'. The more I think about it, the more puzzled I am that Lapper allowed it to happen.

Well, she was on that documentary series with Winston moustache bloke does IVF stuff and I can never remember his name, and other programs.
Maybe she's an attention seeker?
As an artist too, maybe she's not as cynical as the rest of us and so doesn't view it as being exploited?

[punky]

Originally Posted by Shaun

From seeing her on TV I can't believe she's have posed if she thought she was be used purely for shock value.

That's funny, I saw on TV and came to a completely opposite conclusion. She does seem very extroverted, very dominant and powerful, so I think she'd revel in the shock value bit of it.

[handyman]

I looked at this thread and wondered why this sculpture is considered art yet the one in trafalger is being frowned upon?

I dont even think the venus de milo could be considered porno graphic.

(click on pic to enlarge)

Venus de Milo
Parian marble, h 2.02 m (6 1/2 ft)
Found at Milo
130-120 BC
Musee du Louvre, Paris

[Ramrod]

I consider her statue to be art........I just think it's inappropriate in it's location.

Originally Posted by Ramrod

I consider her statue to be art........I just think it's inappropriate in it's location.

Is that because it doesn't pander to your own sense of what's beautiful or art? Or because you don't think Trafalgar Square is the place to be making socio-political statements?
This is what i don't understand..... if it's a socio-political comment then Trafalgar Square would seem to be the perfect place for it.
As the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce quotes ........ "Trafalgar Square has long been the place of political meetings and demonstrations, including those of the Chartists who began their march here in 1848. More recently, it has become the terminal point of protest marches." and as Paul Usherwood, rightly points out in Art Monthly 98-99 "...it remains the case that, whatever the issue, whether it be women's' suffrage, Suez or the Poll Tax, Trafalgar Square is the place you go as a responsible citizen in time of national celebration or crisis."


Corrected linky for History of Plinth


Trafalgar Sq has been the centre of social and political activity, activism, celebration and commeroration.....

This statue is just a tiny blimp in it's history........ i say let it be




Edited: Link correction