One & Other

The fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square was originally intended to hold an equestrian statue of King William the Fourth, but the funding ran dry in the mid nineteenth century and the base remained empty for over one hundred and fifty years. This vacancy turned the stone structure into one of the most debated locations in British public art. In two thousand and nine, sculptor Antony Gormley transformed this void with a project called One and Other. He invited two thousand four hundred members of the public to occupy the space for one hour each, twenty-four hours a day, for one hundred consecutive days. This turned a pedestal designed for royal commemoration into a stage for ordinary people to perform, protest, or simply stand in quiet contemplation.