'Everywoman' statue unveiled in Trafalgar Square
A new sculpture titled 'Lady In Blue' by artist Tschabalala Self has been unveiled on the Fourth Plinth in London's Trafalgar Square. The work aims to represent a contemporary 'everywoman' and will remain on display for two years.
Why it matters
The Fourth Plinth is a high-profile public art space, and this selection reflects a shift toward representing ordinary citizens rather than historical figures.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The Lady in Blue will sit atop the Fourth Plinth for two years
A sculpture inspired by a desire to bring a contemporary "everywoman" to Trafalgar Square has been unveiled on London's Fourth Plinth.
Lady In Blue by New York artist Tschabalala Self, which pays homage to a young, metropolitan woman, is the 16th artwork to feature on the plinth since 1998.
The bronze and blue figure replaces Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant) by Teresa Margolles.
The statue has been patinated with a pigment refined from Lapis Lazuli, a semi-precious stone that has been used by artists for millennia.
Self said she had set out to put an ordinary contemporary Londoner on a site more usually associated with statues of monarchs and military commanders.
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