New York artist Tschabalala Self has unveiled her ‘Lady in Blue’ sculpture on London’s Fourth Plinth, a bronze and blue figure described as a contemporary “everywoman” for Trafalgar Square. The artwork is the 16th to feature on the historic plinth, which has showcased temporary art since 1999.
Tschabalala Self Lady in Blue: The Artist’s Vision
The Tschabalala Self Lady in Blue sculpture aims to bring a contemporary “everywoman” to a site traditionally reserved for monarchs and military commanders, according to the BBC. Self stated that her work is not an idol or historic figurehead but “a woman walking forward into our collective future with ambition and purpose,” representing “the city’s spirit” as a Londoner.
The Guardian noted that the sculpture is a “luscious collision of brown and blue” and a homage to walking, evoking Umberto Boccioni’s futurist strider ‘Unique Forms of Continuity in Space’, as detailed in their review. The figure’s head is held high, with a “massive curved leg thrusting forward out of her draping blue skirt,” creating an “intensely physical, confident being.”
Its blue hue is derived from lapis lazuli, a rare mineral, connecting the artwork with historical paintings in the National Gallery that utilise ultramarine, such as Bronzino’s ‘Allegory With Venus and Cupid’, as highlighted by The Guardian.
A Distinctive Presence in Trafalgar Square
Critics have lauded ‘Lady in Blue’ for its unique aesthetic and impact. The Guardian described the statue as “one of the most beautiful sculptures put on Trafalgar Square’s empty plinth,” noting its “swaggering” nature and “commanding girth.”
Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, Justine Simons, called the work a “striking addition to a historic part of the city,” while Ekow Eshun, chair of the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, observed that it “transforms the everyday into the monumental” by giving an ordinary woman an “extraordinary presence,” the BBC reported. The Times reviewed the sculpture as a “joyful sculpture with a sashay.”
The Guardian also highlighted that the figure appears rooted in African wood carvings and recalls the bronze faces of medieval queens of Ife, departing from traditional Western sculpture.
The Fourth Plinth: A Canvas for Modern Art
The Fourth Plinth, originally built in 1841 for an equestrian statue of William IV that was never erected, remained empty for over 150 years. Since 1999, it has served as a site for temporary art works as part of a commissioning programme initiated by the RSA in 1998, with new sculptures typically installed every two years.
Previous notable works have included Mark Wallinger’s ‘Ecce Homo’ and Marc Quinn’s ‘Alison Lapper Pregnant’, along with the recently replaced ‘Mil Veces un Instante’ by Teresa Margolles. Tschabalala Self was named a winning artist for the Fourth Plinth in March 2024, with Andra Ursuta’s work scheduled for 2028.
