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Glass 'hotel' gives plinth a splash of colour
Valentine Low, Evening Standard7 Nov 2007
It was a grey place, Trafalgar Square - grey stone, grey skies, even grey pigeons.
But not any more. With the unveiling of the latest artwork to grace the fourth plinth, the once-monochrome square today became - in one corner at least - awash with colour.
The sculpture - a glass model of a 21-storey hotel in vivid red, green, yellow and blue - is by the German artist Thomas Sch¸tte.
Entitled Model for a Hotel 2007, it replaces Marc Quinn's sculpture of the disabled artist Alison Lapper when she was pregnant.
Sch¸tte, 52, was originally going to call it Hotel For The Birds, but changed his mind - perhaps out of concern that such a title would act as an open invitation to the pigeons. As it is, the piece - like the Quinn sculpture - will have to be cleaned of pigeon droppings on a regular basis.
Made of thick glass with thin sheets of coloured plastic between them, the eight-ton piece is designed to collect and reflect the light and is described as " multilayered, mysterious and sparkling like a bright jewel".
It was delayed by seven months and came in over budget - the final cost was £270,000 - partly due to months of research to ensure the glass would be able to withstand the London weather.
Ken Livingstone said: "The use of colour will provide a striking contrast to its surroundings."
The sculpture is the fifth artwork to grace the fourth plinth, which remained empty after it was built in 1841 because of insufficient funds to display the planned equestrian statue.
In 1998 the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce commissioned three works to be displayed temporarily on the plinth.
They were so successful that the project was continued.
The Mayor took over responsibility for the plinth and Alison Lapper Pregnant was taken down last month after two years.
Reader views (5)
I think it should have retained the name "Hotel For The Pidgeons" - I find that idea so much more wonderful and inspired than just "Hotel". What kind of hotel is it really in its current state? A very abstract one at best. However it could and probably will serve as a 'hotel for the pidgeons', if they dare to face its bright colour! Has anyone seen any taking up residence there yet?
- Rosie Milton, Mitcham, United Kingdom, 19/11/2007 16:23
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Absolute garbage, yet another wast of council taxpayers money!
- Barry Graham, London, England, 08/11/2007 14:48
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I loved the statue of a pregnant Alison Lapper: I think she looked beautiful and sensual and added a modern yet compatible presence to the square - full, as it is, of imperialistic, masculine, militaristic figures. However, this latest piece of art is not compatible, in my opinion, with the formal 'grandeur' of the square. On its own, as a sculpture, I have no problem with it and could probably appreciate its postmodern context, given a better location. On the ill-fitting plinth, however, it looks more like an errant object from Rymans - or any other leading retailers pertaining to office stationery items. But it was probably chosen by the same PC politicians who selected the dysfunctional logo for the 2012 Olympics...and who thought they were being very trendy and fashionable. Yes, granted, it's colourful: then so is a bowl of sick. In short, garish. Maybe it will grow on me...
- Dougal, Greenwich, United Kingdom, 08/11/2007 12:01
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Absolute rubbish! For £270000 could have bought someone a real London house.
- Andrew K, london,uk, 08/11/2007 11:35
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What a waste of money. Not a vision of anything. Typically meaningless output of socialist thinking.
- William, deal,Kent, 08/11/2007 07:06
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