Powerless Structures Fig.101 by Elmgreen and Dragset
This morning the latest Fourth Plinth sculpture commission in Trafalgar Square by Michael Elmgreen (b.1961) and Ingar Dragset (b.1968) was unveiled to the public. ‘Powerless Structures Fig. 101’ is a sculpture of a boy astride his rocking horse.
According to the project website: 'A child has been elevated to the status of historical hero, though there is not yet a history to commemorate – only a future to hope for. Cast in bronze, the work references the traditional monuments in the square, but, with its golden shine, it celebrates generations to come.'
The artists said "We wanted to create a public sculpture which, rather than dealing with topics of victory or defeat, honours the everyday battles of growing up.” Elmgreen and Dragset are known for their architectural and sculptural installations.
The artists are a Danish-Norwegian team who have been collaborating since 1995. They live and work in London and Berlin. They have completed several other public works, including a 2008 memorial to homosexuals persecuted by Nazism (pictured below) which is in Berlin.
They are probably best known for creating a permanent replica Prada boutique in the Texan desert in 2005 (below).
The Fourth Plinth sculpture is one in a long running series called Powerless Structures, in which the artists have in the past subverted the conventions of the 'white cube' gallery space, by creating galleries suspended from the ceiling, sunk into the ground or upside down.
There is a short video about the project here:
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