Monday, 14 January 2008
Triennial Artists in Fourth Plinth Shortlist
Published in Triennial News
Tracey Emin and Jeremy Deller have been shortlisted as two of the six candidates for the latest Fourth Plinth commission in London’s Trafalgar Square. Emin proposes to place a sculpture of a small group of meerkats on the empty plinth as a symbol of unity and safety and Deller plans to put the remains of a vehicle that has been destroyed in an attack on civilians in Iraq on the plinth in a piece entitled, ‘The Spoils of War (Memorial for an unknown civilian)’. Models of their proposed works will be on show at the National Gallery until 30th March.
Andrea Schlieker, Curator of the Folkestone Triennial said,
"I am delighted that two of our artists have been shortlisted for the prestigious Fourth Plinth project. Together with the recent Turner Prize win by Mark Wallinger, the nomination of Nathan Coley, and Susan Philipsz's invitation to the 2008 Sydney Biennale it is further proof, if any were needed, of the high calibre of the artists who will be making new works for Folkestone this summer."
The selected artist is due to be announced by the Mayor of London later in the year, with the artwork they produce being installed after the current work, Model for a Hotel 2007 by Thomas Schütte, has been taken down.
The plinth has become a well known site for contemporary art works, specially commissioned from leading artists by the Mayor of London’s Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group. The artworks are housed on the plinth for one to two years each. Previous commissions have included Marc Quinn's sculpture Alison Lapper Pregnant.
For more information visit www.london.gov.uk/fourthplinth.