“Lady in Blue” by Tschabalala Self

We are still across the pond in London’s Trafalgar Square to meet “Lady in Blue”, a striking bronze sculpture by Harlem born artist Tschabalala Self, unveiled on the Fourth Plinth this September. Rather than honoring a historical figure or larger-than-life hero, “Lady in Blue” celebrates someone much more familiar: the everyday, modern woman making her way through the city. With her confident stride and unmistakable sense of purpose, she represents, as the artist describes her, “an everyday person much like the many who occupy the square daily,” who can now glimpse the statue on their daily commutes. Her vibrant blue dress immediately catches the passing eye, a reflection of the frenetic and vibrant energy of the city, while her accessories reference lapis lazuli, the rare and prized stone that has been used as a pigment in art for centuries.

There’s something particularly fitting about placing this woman in Trafalgar Square. She isn't there to be worshipped or remembered as a figure from the past. She is looking straight ahead; ambitious, self-assured, and ready for whatever comes next! In other words, “Lady in Blue” isn't just another statue frozen in history. She's all of us, and she has somewhere to be. 

“Mil Veces un Instante” (“A thousand times an Instant”) by Teresa Margolles

As the days get shorter and summer draws to a close, we are back to our regular selection of public art installations. This week we visited the Fourth Plinth, a blank slate for exciting exhibitions located in London’s Trafalgar Square. Currently on display is “Mil Veces un Instante” (“A Thousand Times an Instant”) by acclaimed artist Teresa Margolles.

This powerful installation features plaster casts of the faces of 726 transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals in a rectangular prism atop the plinth. Each cast took over an hour to create, offering Margolles a moment of connection with every participant. The choice of plaster, strong yet fragile, mirrors the resilience and vulnerability of community. Over time, the sculpture will wear as a result of the elements and time, a quiet reminder that visibility and solidarity must be actively nurtured. This piece is a call to reflect on who we stand beside, and how we can hold space for one another, one instant at a time.

The Fourth Plinth Sculpture: “Antelope” by Samson Kambalu

Trafalgar Square, one of London’s most visited landmarks, is marked by four plinths, upon which rests three permanent sculptures. For years an empty fourth plinth stood until Dame Prue Leith, then chair of the Royal Society of Arts suggested the plinth should host art work. After much debate, the Mayor of London’s Fourth Plinth Programme was born, hosting contemporary sculptures on rotation. Recently, Samson Kambalu, a renowned contemporary artist and author who hails from Malawi and is based in Oxford won the opportunity to exhibit under the Fourth Plinth Programme, resulting in “Antelope.”  

Based on a photograph of Baptist preacher and pan-Africanist, John Chilembwe, and European missionary, John Chorley, taken in 1914 at the opening Chilembwe’s new church in Nyasaland, now Malawi, “Antelope” commemorates the moment by restaging the photograph. Kambalu portrays Chilembwe larger than life upon the plinth as he keeps his hat on, in defiance of the colonial rule forbidding Africans from wearing hats in front of white people. Chorley maintains life-size, thereby elevating Chilembwe’s story and bringing awareness to the “hidden narratives of underrepresented peoples” and calling attention to “distortions in conventional narratives of the British empire.”

Cold, Cold London

England, like much of the American East Coast and Midwest, is currently enduring some very cold temperatures. Almost all parts of the country including London have experienced freezing temperatures this week as well as snow and ice in many places. In London, we ventured out after one of the coldest nights in decades to see the frozen fountain at Trafalgar Square. Those poor mermaids! Stay warm, everyone!