Photo by FrankLong on Flickr.
One and Other, the living art project going on in Trafalgar Square this summer, is over half-way through its 100 day run and it’s just as entertaining now as it was that first week. I continue to spread the news about the Plinth to all who will listen and figure I’m long overdue with another list of my favorite plinthers thus far. So here goes:
Week 2 —
- GeraldC — Godzilla destroys London.
- Bushewacker — Made a 360-degree drawing of Trafalgar Square while standing inside a box with the clear plastic pallet all around him.
- Volorose — There have been a number of stationary cyclists on the plinth but this guy gave it an utterly unique spin with his Pee-Wee Herman bike and a thwarted if not noble attempt to use his own spinning to power his finale.
- MiniBeastGirl — A charming, dancing butterfly helps to raise awareness for cultivating urban wild spaces.
- Shells — Wearing a house dress and kerchief, she used her early morning spot to give the plinth a good scrubbing.
Week 3 —
- Neil — Another stationary cyclist; this one donned a skeleton suit encircled by flags to raise awareness of bicycle deaths on London roadways.
- Allenby — Dressed as Buzz Lightyear and led a spirited aerobics work out for his hour. He was great fun and really had the crowd going.
Week 4 —
- Lilacbonzai — The infamous first naked plinther who caused a controversy, not because he appeard “with his kit off” but because the cops told him to put it back on.
Week 5 —
- The Balloonatic — A veteran street performer plies his trade on the plinth, bouncing around on–and inside of–a giant red balloon.
- Chris_L — A touch of the absurd at the end of a fishing pole mixed in with infectious energetic solo dancing to his iPod. Bonus: I discovered a new group, The Wedding Present. Dial them up on MySpace and dance along.
More to come.
2 Things @ Once 
I don’t know whether it’s knowing a future Plinther (2 days left to go!) that’s changed my opinion of the Plinth, but surely as an artwork as a whole it ought to be impossible to say which bit of it we like the best.
Disappointingly, it’s turning out to be nothing more than either Covent Garden street performance or Hyde Park Corner soapbox ranting.
And while I know that Gormley says he doesn’t mind what people do with their hour, his vision was a portrait of the UK; people being themselves. Surely the UK is not made entirely of exhibitionists.
And perhaps those who choose to exhibit up there are making us think less about the ART, they force us to take it at face value. Maybe all they do is serve to make the artwork more memorable, but do they provoke thought about the nature of it? Therefore it could be argued that those who sit and do very little are demanding more of us intellectually.
At least, that’s my rationale for Husband’s non-exhibitionist hour 😉
Can you tell I did art at uni?
Oh, and I’m glad it’s helped you find the Weddoes. That’s some hardcore old-school indie.
I appreciate your comments for multiple reasons: your art background, local perspective, and relation to a future plinther! As someone who can only participate by watching (via big brother) over the internet and twittering along, I do often lament “the boring” ones just for their lack of entertainment value, but I appreciate their part in the whole and that it’s their time on the plinth. I also enjoy the simple segments, where plinthers share their life experience or experience on the plinth by speaking to the audience or chatting with the crowd.
I’m very much looking forward to your husband’s hour on the plinth. I’ll have to catch it tomorrow evening in rerun, as I’ll be singing and dancing (minus the plinth) with a 2-year-old at our Wiggleworms class while he’s on the plinth.
Don’t forget, Ralph’s on the plinth today at 11 a.m. CST!!
I’ve had it marked on my calendar. Unfortunately, my schedule changed and I was away from the internet today, so I’ll have to catch up with it on “rerun.”