One & Other – Antony Gormley’s ‘the peoples plinth’ in Trafalagar Square
I have just found out I have won a place to stand on the forth plinth in Trafalgar Square as part of Antony Gormley’s ‘living monument’ project One & Other. I will be on the plinth from 7-8pm on Sunday 2nd August.
For more detail of what this project is about this is an exerpt from the One & Other website:
This summer, sculptor Antony Gormley invites you to help create an astonishing living monument. He is asking the people of the UK to occupy the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in London, a space normally reserved for statues of Kings and Generals. They will become an image of themselves, and a representation of the whole of humanity.
Every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days without a break, a different person will make the Plinth their own. If you’re selected, you can use your time on the plinth as you like. One & Other is open to anyone and everyone from any corner of the UK. As long as you’re 16 or over and are living or staying in the UK, you can apply to be part of this unforgettable artistic experiment.
And to see what Antony Gormley has to say about it check out his video here.
I feel very honoured and excited to be involved and want to make the most of the opportunity. Antony talks about the democrotisation of society and representing people in the UK today, and I would love whatever I do up there to reflect this.
So, I have had a couple of ideas about what I can do with the help of a few of my colleagues, and I would really like to do something which involves crowdsourcing and letting others input to what I do.
One idea is to ask people to twitter to me (create a hashtag for this project within the project) with tweets they would like me to hold up written on card while I’m on the plinth.
Another (which is my favourite so far, from the genius ideas machine that is Jenni Lloyd) is to get people to tweet me stuff they would like me to draw while I’m on the plinth. I could take a flip chart, some pens, and have a lot of fun in that hour. I could even mix it up with requests from the crowd (the real life one, in Trafalgar Square) and take in live tweet requests. I could fold up each finished giant drawing and send it out into the crowd in giant paper planes (so long as people don’t throw them back to me and knock me off!)
What do you think? Any other ideas? Really open to ideas and would like my time up there to be a collaborative peice made by all of us.
Anna wrote this on 02.07.09 – 6 comments
It's filed in the Democracy, NixonMcInnes, Off topic, Social media box
On July 2nd, 2009 at 3:16 pm, Ross responded:
Super jealous – such an ace project.
Have are a few suggestions:
Auction yourself as a human billboard, like the million dollar pixel site, and give space to anyone who makes a donation to a charity of your choice?
Take votes on your followers favorite movie, and then act out the winners selection with a set of basic props, and record the whole thing for youtube?
Take a twister board, and invites followers to move your hands and feet accordingly? Repeat until you topple.
Or, just dress as a gigantic pigeon, and confuse the tourists?
On July 2nd, 2009 at 3:38 pm, Max responded:
This sounds fantastic, well done for getting a spot!
How about taking photos of the people taking photos of you, then posting them on twitpi?
You could have your twitter name on a flipchart with instructions to follow you, which people could do then and there to see the photos of them appearing as you tweet.
Failing that, as Ross said, giant pigeon costume.
On July 2nd, 2009 at 3:53 pm, grammar pedant responded:
ahem… it’s ‘fourth’
On July 2nd, 2009 at 4:21 pm, Rob Shepherd responded:
Congratulations!
This was a tip on the Archers! Have a giant mirror above you (er … yes) so that people below can actually see what you’re doing, otherwise it’s quite difficult.
Either that or video and screens (with the benefit of streaming, of course)
On July 4th, 2009 at 4:28 pm, Paul responded:
What a great thing to do.
And what a great time – Sunday evening in the summer so should be lots of people around.
Love the idea of you acting as a live tweet channel – acting, drawing…how about barking them out of a loudhailer?
Or reverse it by tweeting what people in Trafalgar Sq are saying. Hang a sign over your head with ‘Tell me your biggest love and I will tell the world’
And I want to see photos!
On July 10th, 2009 at 10:33 am, Matt Hill responded:
You can get channels for all the other suggestions already.
How often will you get a globally advertised spot to *really* make a difference?
Gormley’s latest is a huge cop out in the name of “art”, so I’d use the time to raise awareness about something you believe in.