One & Other is like the British weather...
.... if you don't like it, wait an hour and it will change!
What a week for Antony Gormley and the Fourth Plinth: media attention, protestor controversy, artistic debate, and a stream of crowds gazing up as Plinthians do their thing. The 168 year-old Plinth has probably never had so much attention in its stony faced history.
One & Other has been everywhere this week, I have even heard of television reportage in Canada. Picking up national newspapers on Tuesday, I found major stories on the project. My favourite is an article by Charlotte Higgins on the front page of The Guardian, describing the initial British self portrait as "a mosaic of polite rule-breakers, exhibitionists with a social conscience and slightly inept publicans". The Independent had a double page spread profiling the first ten Plinthians and positing the question 'is it really art?'
Perhaps the funniest items were cartoons in The Sun and The Daily Mail, one showing a bedraggled Gordon Brown standing on the Plinth with a 'Vote Labour' placard, and the other showing a trench-coated elderly man flashing the Trafalgar Square crowd.
One columnist who bought a personal touch to critiquing the project was Times writer Libby Purves. She traversed through London on Tuesday at 3am "past ragged sleepers and a lone street cleaner and scavenging, squawking seagulls" to see her brother Morris dance on the plinth at 4am. "So was my brother a piece of art?" wrote Libby Purves, "Actually, I think so."
Comedian and Writer Frank Skinner was certainly impressed, writing in The Times yesterday "One & Other makes me proud to be British ... [it] is a fabulous symbol of freedom and free speech."
Aside from Journalists and Art Critics, there is another avid audience for One & Other: Twitter followers! As fellow-blogger Tina-Louise asked yesterday "Is Twitter-heckling Art too?"; Twitter has become a place for continual commentary of Plinthian activity - One & Other became so popular on Monday that it was in the top ten Twitter trends in the UK! I'm not surprised; this website received 70,000 hits on Monday (with 260 welcome hits filtering down to my blog!).
I have to admit, I have been tweeting a lot this week (@matt_tucker if you're interested), with my tweets on the project reaching triple figures! But it's all part of the idea that is One & Other - bringing New Media and Art together - reinforcing Gormley's intention of making the public the focus of the Art.
If you are of the Twitter persuasion, don't forget to follow @oneandother. You can also follow @Plinthwatch, which is curated by guardian.co.uk. The team behind @Plinthwatch have been tweeting day and night, providing insightful comments for insomniacs across the UK.
So now the project is well and truly underway, a question has been flying around; 'Is it Art?'. Divided opinions are already appearing in the media, some calling it "middle class big brother."
I don't like Big Brother, I viewed series one (way back in 2000) and concluded that watching people trying to scoop media deals was not entertainment. But, I wholeheartedly believe there is a place for 'reality viewing' in Art and Culture. Television shows have used our fascination with the format to their advantage; selecting people who provide shock-factor entertainment to boost ratings, giving the medium a very bad name. I hope One & Other will change that trend. Do you think it will?
With spirited debate on the both sides of the argument, it has already achieved what I hoped it would: discourse between people from all walks of life, not just Artists and Critics.
As the project progresses through the weeks I'm sure it will lead me to many conclusions on British Art, but for the moment, I love it; my plinth-cam addiction was confirmed on day one.
Whether you love it or hate it, One & Other is here to stay for the next 93 days. So treat it like an unwanted relation visiting in the spare room, hogging the bathroom in the morning, or welcome it like an old friend, one who is going to stand on a plinth for your consideration!
I leave you with a couple of Youtube videos, the first is a highlight of Mark Korczak's hour on the Plinth on Monday at 8pm, nicely edited to give you a sense of the pace of the first day:
The second video is of aspiring Plinthian Doug Blane practising his plinth party piece; he wants to do a Yoga vinyasa Urdhva Padmasana upside down lotus pose on the Fourth Plinth. The beautiful scenery behind is in Aurlandsfjord near Flåm, Norway.
I hope he can hold that position for a whole hour - he might need a pillow...
93 Responses
leave a responseI have never watched SkyArts before (who knew there was such a channel!) however I'm fascinated by this project. Addicted to watching this on the web and have now set up to watch this on TV on weekly updates. Love it. Also fingers crossed I get to be a plinther in September or October, twittering all the way
@LouLaBellexx
Oh dearie me...
"I'm on the plinth !! With a sign !! But only for an hour !! Then I'll be on the train, dahling !! With a loud voice !! Mwah !!"
At 12:38, Saturday, 11 July 2009 LouLa wrote:
I have never watched SkyArts before (who knew there was such a channel!)
That's the point... It's called PR.
The public will forget this project, but not SKY TV!
The lady 1pm to 2pm
She is there of the citizens advice bureau
What do you do?
Switch off the sound!!!!!
Leave the sound on all the time... we will switch it off if we wish...
Yeah, they do that on the other bigbrother too!
Normally when they don't wish you to hear things.
Shock horror! We have censorship!
Yeah, I didn't like Bigbro' either. This is the same. bland. switching off!
Of course what a delightful event next to the 'Fountain' with the sound of running water.
I was wondering if anyone had got caught short?
I did like the person yesterday at 19.17
Justin or Matt or Holly- am wondering if the technical team could give more than one shot at a time- the crowd interaction seems important too- like a split screen type of thing- don't know if it's doable- might be easier than switching scene shots tho and would def help the internet audience get more of a feel for it??? also... just for usability - can the pic and info of who's up next be updated as changeover occurs? Thanks- even if none of these things can happen- ya'll are doing a fantastic job! Amazing project, and very exciting. Well done to *all* the Plinthers too! (oh and to those people bashing this cuz it's supported by some sort of corp- even the great masters of art had patrons... some of whom were just rich- and possibly not someone you'd like to have tea with, but at least it helped get the job done. Go get a Plinth of your own and stop being so mean!)
Yeah, 'I'm a fan!', the point is only one.
I wish people with no talent who have some sort of wish to be connected with art, won't! I understand there are many reasons why they wish to be apart, most of them are very selfish ones.
But to wrap this Sky television show in some sort of thin tissue of "Lets call it ART', really isn't good enough!
One has to take some steps backwards... AG said that this project is meant to be, " A portrait of the UK now! The plinth being the lens.", then they say, " They will become an image of themselves, and a representation of the whole of humanity." Well, it can either be a snap shot of the united kingdom, or the world! Then AG says it isn't important who sits on the plinth, it's the process that counts. OK! Now I work in the Arts, I know bullshit when I hear it! I am very disappointed with AG on this project.
I just wish projects like this would be thought through a little more. Sadly I think that AG was surrounded by sycophants.The establishment always have favourites, and AG is one of them at this point. He would argue that he has given the power of art back to the people, for them to take control of the future of art. But this is just a clever method of controlling the masses.
After reading a lot of the comments here, on Twitter etc. I can understand the public's view of frustration, or just thinking it is another formulaic cheap reality television show like big brother. I even enjoyed the above link to Duchamp, but this isn't at that level.
I don't think this is a waste of time, but I really do think the planning of this seems to have been awful. The website doesn't function well, the sound and cameras seem to miss the action if there is any. A better section process should have been carried out, a place should have been won on merit. Also, one hour is too long. they should have had 20 minutes each. Keep it quick.
Also, it's a shame that children have not been allowed to join in. I am not sure why, but I think they might have got more out of this and the audience watching would be more interested in seeing what the future had to say rather that a bunch of old bored house wives and men in their midlife crisis' as well as the other antidepressant poppers.
One hopes for all involved that they have fun, and forget that some misdirected fool has called this art.
Big brother, little britain...
You hit the nail on the head for me!
Can we send the plinthers to the diary room ?? How do I send in my text vote for Tim Nunn?
It's all about representing Britain, hence selecting a certain amount of people from different regions across the UK. It certainly wouldn't be an accurate representation if only those with specific talents were chosen.
Big Brother, little Britain, you say they should have been selected on merit - what merit? Why do you sound so bitter? An hour is not that long, do you have no attention span?
Yes, indeed, we need a 'split screen' [preferably 4 quarters] facility to see what is going on in different spaces at the same time...
Big brother, little britain... You know you don't have to watch it or is it just sour grapes because you don't have a place yourself?
As a person you would probably fit into your 'old bored house wives' category, I feel you have tried to do with your comments exactly what has been happening with 'the arts' for many years - you want art for the a small number of people, maybe in your eyes the elitist.
I personally feel this selection process has given everyone the opportunity to be part of this 'art' project. It does not select you by which university you attended, who your father is, your colour, religion or even if you have potential as an artist. It is about anyone and everyone - an excellent choice I feel.
Well done Antony Gormley - you have in my eyes given people time in an era when times are hard, it seems to have brought the best out in some and in true 'British' style it has brought the grumpy people out to join the queue of 'old winge bags!'
Plinthians - keep up the good work and be proud of who you are and what you are doing!
I hate to say it but I think that what started off as a great idea seems to have been taken over by the superficial and trite.........
Today i was in London so i made a point of getting a bus that went via the square to see the plinth in operation , what did i find ? I was expecting (and this is what promted me to sign up for this event in the first place !) to see the square, with the 4th plinth with a person on it BUT what was there was a wall of portacabins and a load of barriers so that the whole visual appearence of the suqare was dominated by the gubbins of the event ! So much for having a sense of the visual then ?
Its a great shame because most of the other Gormley works that i have seen and enjoyed have had a real engagement with the visual environment in which they are located......... so why not this ?
Or is it just a platform for charity appeals and spurious attempts at entertainment ?
I had thought that the idea was to do with having an individual , different people , all shapes , all sizes , all ages engaging with the space and the experience of being looked at and looking ............ rather than "stand on a pedestal and promote your favourite cause" (not that i'm against any of the causes that folks , myself included, feel strongly about )
so all in all a bit of a let down
shame really as it had so much potential
Calm down dear, it's a commercial... !
Seriously, the presence of trolls is actually a good thing, because this shows this work of art is reaching out beyond the boundaries of the white middle classes who infect all art galleries, and scaring away the diversity modern art really needs.
The Ekow Eshuns of this world must be pleased that this 'thinking outside the box' is stretching boundaries and breaking barriers of class and culture which have stifled so much contemporary art. I know people are saying 'But they are all middle-aged / middle class / white..'
But where were these viewers when that black guy from Manchester was reading his messages of lurve and love?
Or the delectable Julia with her less-than-delectable message about the ongoing tragedy of female genital mutilation ? Some of the plinthians are not very exciting, but this just reflects our feeble attention span having been drip-fed 'shock every 60 minutes' from Big Brother.
But the bigger messages are getting out there and to an audience which just wouldn't be seen dead in a modern art gallery. Surely that just has to be a good thing, no ?
What is about that plinth that transforms even the plainest young duckling into a beautiful babe swan when they get up there ? Is it the light ? Is it the rain ? The glimpse of the sun ? Even the energy of the crowd ? Who knows !!
Please, I am a work of art all by myself...
If the weather becomes inclement I will become a tent...
Jo is fab !!
Oh dear an alarming thought has come across my mind.
By posting such brief thoughts, whilst denigrating the Twitter posse I am being hypocritical, but if I can just keep going yes, YES YEEESSS !!! I'm over a 140 characters and I've just reached Textual Ecstasy and touched my T-Spot..
Methinks Jo should build up to leaping into the safety net in a vertical position as the JCB arrives, and see how long it takes her to land...
I think I'm in lurrrrvvee..
Just Me wrote: To Big brother, little britain...
I have to say that after reading your thoughts here, and the ones of big brother, little Brits; you clearly have not read what they wrote. Maybe the first line. Your overall point is some what foolish.
Simon Cowell wrote: Can we send the plinthers to the diary room ??
Yes, and never let them in front of a television camera again!
Timecode wrote: Please mummy want a 'split screen' now!!!
Oh, God please send one to his house / with a Sky box.
Michael Winner wrote: Bla bla bla...
Yeah, you could only think of a few, not even a handful of people eithnic groups... not good! No one is taking note of this, and no one is learning from it.
MrG wrote: I hate to say it but I think that what started off as a great idea...
So true, so sad this shame 2009, seems to be a SKY PR stunt.
You seem to be missing the point somewhat wrote: It's all about representing Britain, hence selecting a certain amount of people from different regions across the UK.
Oh, not another one, I thing you are missing the point. Please find someone who can explain this to you. Maybe find an adult.
One thing I did like was the idea, that this should have been for the future, not the past. (All these strange types on the plinth are really in need of some help) But I think, The Little Brit, person hit on something. Why wasn't this run as a project for children in our schools across the country. It would have made much more sense it that had happened. The children, learn about history, art, maths, and social education.
As it is, it's really isn't much more use than a plastic fire guard.
Good grief! My ears are starting to bleed. Now would be a good time to experuence technical problems with the sound - please?
Good grief! My ears are starting to bleed. Now would be a good time to experience technical problems with the sound - please?
Just in time! The truth!
It would be nice to be able to blow the bladdy bores off!!
Also, he just said that he'd been warned not to do anything silly or that Sky television wouldn't like. If they do they cut the cameras.
There is a 30 second delay.
So, another truth which undermines the whole idea. This is meant to be a free expression of the person.
But this is true censorship! No wonder it's so bland. I wonder if we can see the rules? Hello Holly-wood, yes! Ms Art-i-Joke?
Why are the plinthingtons being allowed to drink up there? I thought there was a no booze roolz??
Even more so...if they are drinking then ensure they get plenty down them for us voyeur types to monitor and assess the damage as it occurs!!!
So true, so false - having just dropped by, I would be interested to know where you got that information from ?
What is the point of the disclaimer in that case ?
"This is a live web stream that may contain offensive content. The actions/opinions featured are the participants', and are not endorsed by Artichoke or Sky Arts."
Yeah, with a warning to people not to do or say things, and a 30 second delay, plus sound and vision cut out switch.
Maybe that's why they have been cutting the sound like big brother does.
So far from the free art piece we are lead to believe we are watching, in fact the insiders have leaked the true. It's all a set up. How sad!
So they didn't wish to select the people on quality of ideas and social groups. They then control what they can do when they get on the plinth.
So the others before on these blogs are correct. It's all about Sky Television!!!!!!
Oh, why couldn't they have got:
McDonalds™ I'm lovin' art!
The Watchman just talked about this on the telephone. He told his friend he had been told how to be and not to be and if he broke their rules, they (big brother) would cut him off!!
He went on to say that they, had a 30 second delay.
Anonymous, Big brother would like to see you in the diary room....
McDonalds™ I'm lovin' art!
funny!
guy on the plinth has a certain grumpy dignity. Twonks on the ground shouting "boring!" and just being twerps and are a bit pants. vive la plinth! Vive les plinthiers!
Holly or whomever, can you make this video stream work? Is it just not uploaded? Or how can I report it?
www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Julia
Please? I've had loads of people contact me to ask how they can look at my hour (ahem! modest, eh?) But seriously, people in Ethiopia and other places.
People who came after me are up, so it's not just time delay.
If there's no way of getting it up, can it be transferred to YouTube or something?
Help! (and thanks)
Julia
Yeah...throwing stuff out to the crowd are yer? Amaaaaziiing!
More bouncy balls throwing out to the crowd? Yeah?
Amaaaazzziiiing!
Mr. R. Mutt - thanks so much for letting us know so many of us have misunderstood what's been going on - I guess (or so I thought) 'art' is all about one's own interpretation of a subject. So when will you be on the plinth to show us your interpretation?
Plinthians - keep up the good work, hope it stops raining for you soon!
Drinking beer on the plinth, a first?
I think this is the best slice of life ever. It's not about the skill or entertainment value of just one Plinther, but the collective over the 100 days. It pushes all of us to Do Somthing. This is truely a think of beauty.
Rodger Standridge
"Making the world a better place, one drop of paint at a time"
R.M.Standridge
I'm beginning to think that these questions about censorship and the selection process are combined. But first to address your points (or as many of them as I can while waiting for the technical team to get back to me!):
As far as I'm aware there isn't any censorship of the live feeds, other than in case someone does something illegal, which is the only thing not allowed in Antony's rules for the project. Illegal activity includes inciting racial or religious hatred and causing bodily harm - I believe this is in the FAQ. I will check this and get back to you, but I suspect that any loss of sound is a technical fault (which as Justin said in a previous comment, the tech team are working on!)
As far as the selection process goes; I agree that the fairest way of getting a proper representation of the UK would be to approach people randomly, but that would require us to have a record of the contact details, occupation etc of every single person in the UK - if something like this exists I suspect it is locked deep in a secret bunker somewhere and wouldn't be shared with an arts organisation! So without that knowledge we have tried to be the fairest we can: we have been doing our best to contact people who may not hear about the project in the usual ways, or who may not usually think of it as 'their sort of thing'. Indeed, part of the reason for keeping applications open even now is so that people who wouldn't have heard about One & Other otherwise might pass through Trafalgar Square or hear about it in some other way and subsequently apply.
As for choosing people on 'merit' - who would you propose as the judges for this? In my mind that would make it truly into another 'Britain's Got Talent'! From the comments I've read and heard over the last week, some people seem to favour those who do nothing, some those who raise awareness of a cause, and some those who do outrageous things like dress up as Godzilla. If certain people from across the world are liking different plinthers, how can one or four or even twenty judges choose who is 'worthy' to represent the UK?
What happened to Redbox, looked interesting only to go back to the screaming girls. Censorship or technical failure?
@ Simon Cowell
yep, sumit sus happend there.
His profile showed him well into his stint on the plinth, while the live feed showed the girl before him, who said she only knew she was going on at the last minute. THEN he appeared on the live feed, starting his shift, after having already started in his profile ... eh ??
One and Other is a work by Anthony Gormley. The 2400 individuals who make up ‘the piece’ are of little consequence; they are the material (the 'clay', if you will) that makes up the concept. Like the work of Jeremy Deller, this work by Gormley is part of a trend that has been going on for a long time now. It is based on the patronising assumption that these artists are somehow ‘enabling’ ‘ordinary people’ to express themselves. The only people who benefit from this is the artist, his career and the publicly funded cultural institutions that are desperate to be seen to be ‘relevant’. Everyone is perfectly capable of creating his or her own culture – art, writing, music, whatever… Moreover, with the internet or any other form of DIY method, we can communicate and contribute to our collective culture and bypass these parasites. We don’t need these w**kers in order to make art. Reclaim your dignity and reject this farce now!
@ Acephale
"Everyone is perfectly capable of creating his or her own culture – art, writing, music, whatever .."
Yes, and they do. Taking part in this doesn't stop them doing all those things.
"It is based on the patronising assumption that these artists are somehow ‘enabling’ ‘ordinary people’ to express themselves"
The "patronising assumption" is that these people have nothing else in their lives and this project is the only way they can express themselves. Reading the profiles, it seems they have no problem expressing themselves in all sorts of ways, completely outside of this project.
go feona hadcroft artist and pride of the northwest ,
yourr nummmber onnne
from marko and blackburn fine art
MARTHA the 3am Mushroom Girl.
She was Fungi Brilliant !
The mushroom lady was brilliant.
Is there anyway of watching any of the Plinthians we have missed? I'm intrigued about the 'Mushroom Girl.' I don't have Sky TV so can't watch that.
I hope someone has the answer - many thanks.
I don't care if it's art, it's interesting.
Thanks & congratulations to everyone involved.
"He told me that to these waters he had come to gather leeches, being old and poor....IS THAT MY MOTHER! How did you get here?" Classic moment of Wordsworth meets Plinth - it's great that this stuff is so random
The person there now 9.50am is boring,I am watching them for ideas of what to wear when I am there
Tina Louise up soon. The light within me honors the light within you - maybe
"Having life modelled and taken part in a Spencer Tunick experience at Selfridges a while back..."
Off ! Off ! Off ! Come along dear, we need a bit of excitement to liven things up..
The person on from 9.00 till 10.00!!!!!!!!! I presume this is art or 1 hour of Fame? I hope she didnt come all the way from bonnie scotland to sit n eat n drink tea. Dont know wot I would do if I was up there.
Thought the lady saying hi to her mum while reading Wordsworth was priceless.
Good luck to you all
Michelle from London says she is vulnerable,thoughtful and playful!!
Hope she not gonna stand there for an hour, I might have to get up and do some housework lol
@Just Me
To find previous videos, they have the 'Plinthers' section, at the top of this page.
Unfortunately they have made it extremely difficult to use. You need to know the name (I can't remember Ms Mushroom's name) and rollover every square until you find it. They are completely randomly, not in any order, and they randomly change place every time you visit the page.
It's absolutely crazy. I'm really hoping I'm wrong and someone point out a much easier way to do it !
Phil, in the blanks
Many thanks for the info - although it does seem a little like finding a needle in a haystack - I will try. I thought it was just me who found this site a bit tricky to follow, it's nice to know that it isn't just me who isn't getting the hang of it!
Does anyone know the Mushroom Lady's name?
Are you not finding 10.00 - 11.00 to be "life changing"?
Where is that music coming from ?
.. Doctor Love please come running can't you see I'm in pain, you've broken my heart and you should be ashamed !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYk1DW1jN5s
Go Tina !!
Just out of interest, aren't there any 'rights' issues with people playing their own music on this thing ? Time Warp was, I think, cleared by Richard O'Brien, but I can see some anal people getting antsy.
Mmm... Another voluptuous vixen !!
Why aren't these energetic love tigers on our telly screens in the usual run of things ??
Far better than the thick, vapid stick insects they normally serve up [no names, but I feel Kelly Brook may know who I'm talking about...]
Thought i sort of changed my life a few years ago or it might have been a mid life crisis lol, i dont think she would hav "inspired me" to change my life but who knows.............
Thanks for all your comments! The dialogue here is great - I’m going to respond to a few people in turn:
@Loula: “… I'm fascinated by this project. Addicted to watching this on the web and have now set up to watch this on TV on weekly updates. Love it. Also fingers crossed I get to be a plinther in September or October, twittering all the way.”
Just followed you on Twitter Loula! I’ve also been following the Sky Arts programme, enjoyed it on Friday, I hope there are going to be different guests each week for Anderson to interview. Ken Livingstone was on top form, it sounds like he’s the one that gave the green light to this when he was Mayor. Good luck on being selected as a Plinther, I’ve applied as well, so we’ll see….
@i'm a fan with a tech question... “Justin or Matt or Holly- am wondering if the technical team could give more than one shot at a time- the crowd interaction seems important too- like a split screen type of thing”
I’m not involved with the technical side of the project, I blog :) but I’ll pass your query on to Holly and Justin, I’m sure they’ll have an answer. The Tech Team are responding pretty fast to requests as they go along, so perhaps they’ll consider your request. I think the quality of the cam is very good, it looks like there is always someone directing the camera, giving Internet users the best shot that they can, e.g. when a Plinthian is chatting with the crowds, you’ll often see a camera zoomed in on the people speaking on the ground .
@Michael Winner wrote: “Seriously, the presence of trolls is actually a good thing, because this shows this work of art is reaching out beyond the boundaries of the white middle classes who infect all art galleries, and scaring away the diversity modern art really needs.”
Trolls – that’s the word I was searching for! Wiki tells me a Troll is “someone who posts controversial, inflammatory… messages in an online community with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional or disciplinary response”. That certainly sounds like a few of the users here… which is great! – you’re creating “spirited debate on the both sides of the argument: discourse between people from all walks of life, not just Artists and Critics.” So thank you for that!
@Ugly Duckling“What is about that plinth that transforms even the plainest young duckling into a beautiful babe swan when they get up there ? Is it the light ? Is it the rain ? The glimpse of the sun ? Even the energy of the crowd ? Who knows !!”
I loved this quote so wanted to include it again.
@Mr. R. Mutt: “Why wasn't this run as a project for children in our schools across the country. It would have made much more sense it that had happened. The children, learn about history, art, maths, and social education.”
That’s a good point – perhaps this will create a similar project that will travel to schools, but for now this is about The Fourth Plinth being filled with Art. I think someone else left a comment here asking why children were not being allowed on the Plinth – have you seen the height of the Plinth? What would you do if your 8 year-old child burst into tears – and the only way to get to them is with a JCB crane? I think there is a lower age limit for a reason.
@Just Me: “Is there anyway of watching any of the Plinthians we have missed? I'm intrigued about the 'Mushroom Girl.' I don't have Sky TV so can't watch that.
I hope someone has the answer - many thanks.”
As far as I know, you have to go to this link and then find the Plinthian you want to watch, but Holly or Justin may know of a better way http://www.oneandother.co.uk/participants?week=1
Finally, I wanted to repeat a couple of messages of goodwill to Plinthians: @Just Me: “Plinthians – keep up the good work, hope it stops raining for you soon!”
@Roger “I think this is the best slice of life ever. It's not about the skill or entertainment value of just one Plinther, but the collective over the 100 days. It pushes all of us to Do Something. This is truly a think of beauty.”
Thanks,
Matt
Seems i have nothing better to do today but Hooray for Tinalouise, karaoke on the plinth and people around the square joining in, that s more like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I still would not do it though :-)
That woman is fantastic !! I want to climb up on the plinth and make love to her in a sensual sixties flower power free love peace and understanding kind of way, but I don't think it would be a very artistic spectacle for the crowds...
She is ravishingly lovely in a 'dance as though no one is watching, sing as though no one can hear you' way...
I love to tune in to the plinthers but WHY is there never, or rarely any sound?? So frustrating watching silent kareoke!
Give that girl a coconut !!
The Eighties didn't work.
Give us back the Sixties folks..
Are there any copyright issues regarding playing music from the plinth? Didn't think it was allowed, tell me if I'm wrong .......
I think, as a controlled experiment, we should put Anne Widdecombe on the plinth to test the theory that it acts as a focus / crossing the ley lines / magnetic north for sexual energy. If it could work for her, then anything may be possible..
Oh for goodness sake !! can't the audience be persuaded to sing 'All you need is love' a capella - it is a very famous song after all ?
Altogether now...
Oh no dear, I think you really need to be in your biker bike leathers for the Meatloaf thing to work...
Still, a fantastic show for an hour...
yay tina!
@ Matt
@ Phil, in the blanks
Many thanks to you both - I have now located Martha the Mushroom Lady!
@ Holly or Justin - having located Martha (3am - Sun 12th July), there isn't a picture - is there a technical fault? Is it fixable? Could you look into to it for me please?
Thanks to all
I think this is cheating, because her curves give her an unfair advantage.. very relaxing though, and a distinct change from the meeja obsession with bad news, doom, gloom and despondency. And it has stopped raining ! Wow !
Hey there
Just to respond briefly to the tech question asked at 16.14 on Saturday about having 4 different views. This is something that was discussed during the planning stages of the project - whether we could have a split screen function. However, the technical part of this project with the website is fearsomely complex and very, very challenging. No wires are permitted in the Square and so the feed from the cameras on the plinth and the one on the portacabin all have to be sent, with the sound from the radio mic or directional mics on the Plinth wirelessly to an encoder and this feed is then sent, again wirelessly to another part of the chain and so on until it gets out on to the internet and your browser.
To have 4 different feeds, all with sound would have been almost impossible to send wirelessly at the high quality we wanted the stream to have. It was also important to us that the HD cameras be able to zoom, pan and so on - thus offering a far greater sense (we hope) of involvement to the viewer as the web producers can follow the action, offer crowd shots, zoom in and so on. Had we offered 4 feeds in a split screen type feed then we would have had to lose this movement and the cameras would have had to remain static and at fixed focal lengths - can you imagine 1,000's of people watching all trying to control the cameras - wouldn't have worked!
The solution offered seemed to the team to offer the best result in terms of representing the person on the Plinth is the best way possible online.
I am aware that the website has come in for some criticism and everyone's feedback is welcome indeed - we want the site to continue to evolve and become the best representation of this project it can possibly be. There are new features coming through all the time and more are on the way. We have had to stagger their release to ensure that the site remains as stable as possible but rest assured that we take feedback very seriously and, where possible, will always respond to people's concerns.
Why isn't there a plinth in my town !?
Why isn't there a plinth in EVERY TOWN ?
In fact, why bother with a plinth, just send a 1000 JCBs round and the platform can be extended on the hour, every hour, in our towns and cities !!
I'm sure you want to be TAKING something away with you from the experience in the form of pictures, but really the point of this is surely GIVING something to the audience to think about, ponder, sing along with, look at, get frustrated with or just be perplexed by..
Leave the camerawork to the rest of the team would be my respectful advice to the Plinthians, accepting that for one hour they do get to be Master or Mistress of their destiny.
Wow back for a few minutes to catch up on the reverberations accumulated and I am impressed. It seems to me that those that have the most to say are usually those with the least interest, (or so they say) I suspect they are the ones who are finding the "greatest interest from the project" BUT would be surprised to realise that and even argue that this is not the case. Followers of contemporary art are not fazed by something different and are weathered to the trickle (for flood) of controversy that surrounds such work. The 4th Plinth has over the years now become the ever changing face of British art and we should celebrate it. Who knows perhaps the next project will be for those who 'love to twitter' ... set up for them to carry out their art form, Yes .... it is an art form, some are very accomplished and should be celebrated and others open
to controversy. To be the subject as well as the artists would be a fabulous next 4th Plinth project. How many of you would put your twitter skill onto the Plinth I wonder. Could you resist the chance to be 'a one hour wonder'? Your viewers might argue ... BUT 'is this art'.
Who knows what art is? ......... myself I believe it is a constant reinvention of creativity. ~So guumpy old twitters ...sign up now.
Maybe the BBC should revive the tradition of the Potter's Wheel between programmes, and have this young lady doing hula-hooping if programmes end before the next one starts ??
It would have been rather wonderful if a hundred hoola hoops could have been supplied to the people of the square for a bit of 'audience participation'...
Ironic that as "no wires are allowed in the square"
BUT
A huge pile of portacabins are ?
So that you can't see the plinth from the 59 BUS ????
Such lack of attention to the visual detail makes the whole thing a bit naff
One & Other is like the British weather...
... lots moan about it, most enjoy it, no one knows what's coming next.
Naturally 'lots moan about it' - we're British - that's what we do best isn't it? Even if the Plinth isn't fulfilling some people's expectations the hecklers seem to be giving a fair representation of 'A portrait of the UK now' (oh dear are we really a bunch of moaners?)
I think it's great, ordinary people doing ordinary things, and it's free!
...and the weather has picked up too!
Keep smiling everyone.
Just been sent this link to Mail on Sunday...for those on the Plinth 8/7/09
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1199102/Weve-Lord-Lucan-gorilla-man-toilet-costume--amazing-36-hours-fourth-plinth-throw-up.html
:0)
Just been sent this link to Mail on Sunday...for those on the Plinth 8/7/09
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1199102/Weve-Lord-Lucan-gorilla-man-toilet-costume--amazing-36-hours-fourth-plinth-throw-up.html
:0)
Good grief! Suddenly, the prospect of applying steroid cream to my partner's eczema doesn't seem quite so unappealing after all.
At 02:56, Sunday, 12 July 2009 Acephale wrote:
One and Other is a work by Anthony Gormley. The 2400 individuals who make up ‘the piece’ are of little consequence; they are the material (the 'clay', if you will) that makes up the concept. Like the work of Jeremy Deller, this work by Gormley is part of a trend that has been going on for a long time now. It is based on the patronising assumption that these artists are somehow ‘enabling’ ‘ordinary people’ to express themselves. The only people who benefit from this is the artist, his career and the publicly funded cultural institutions that are desperate to be seen to be ‘relevant’. Everyone is perfectly capable of creating his or her own culture – art, writing, music, whatever… Moreover, with the internet or any other form of DIY method, we can communicate and contribute to our collective culture and bypass these parasites. We don’t need these w**kers in order to make art. Reclaim your dignity and reject this farce now!
# Paul Burrows, You're poor wife, has to put up with an irritating skin condition as well as an irritating husband. I feel her pain .....
I think the best thing is just to forget this rubbish,
it states one thing in the brief for the project, then another.
No one is interested in it in the UK, it's a PR stunt, pretending to be art.
Good luck! I am sure Art-i-joke and Sky TV will make a nice little earner.
Big brother is loosing ratings...
Give me a hug, right now, grumpy puss.I insist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM
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