Henry Moore Institute, PADT and the Forth Plinth

I went along to the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds yesterday and saw a few interesting exhibitions however this one about the Public Art Development Trust was particularly interesting. The PADT was established in 1983 and defined public art for twenty years.

One of the things that caught my interest were the PADT's plans for the empty fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, London. They had big plans for different statues to stand upon it over a period of years and then a public vote to decide which one should stay. Unfortunately the plans were too ambitious and costly so they had to be scrapped.

Recently sculptor Anthony Gormley created a living sculpture on top of the fourth plinth by inviting 2400 people to stand upon the plinth for an hour each. One of my friends was a successful applicant!


"Every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days without a break, different people will make the Plinth their own. If you’re selected, you can use your time on the plinth as you like – to demonstrate, to perform, or simply to reflect. One & Another is open to anyone and everyone from any corner of the UK. As long as you’re 16 or over and are living, or staying, in the UK, you can apply to be part of this unforgettable artistic experiment. Participants will be picked at random, chosen from the thousands who will enter, to represent the entire population of the UK. The rules are simple: you must stand on the plinth alone, for the whole hour; you can do whatever you want, provided it’s legal; and you can take anything with you that you can carry."