Antony Gormley, the man behind the Trafalgar Square ‘fourth plinth’ project, is a true crowd surfer. His simple idea of offering ordinary members of the public an opportunity for self expression and the chance to be involved in a shared artistic endeavour, truly captures the spirit of the empowerment age. The Times described his idea as bringing the techniques of reality TV to the world of fine art.
The project dramatises the way that authority has been transferred from the ruling elite – the aristocrats and generals who have traditionally occupied the plinths in major public spaces – to the masses. This is a theme that Gormley has explored with his other artworks – the celebration of the anonymous individual.
