Mere Mortals? Gormley's 'One and Other' Puts Regular People on a Pedestal

LONDON, July 7, 2009 — -- Fifteen minutes into his hour of fame, a skinny man in a panda costume hopped from one foot to the other atop the empty fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square.

Every couple of seconds he held up a 6-foot tall sign with a series of numbers written on it and then in the next instant, drew his cell phone to his ear and resumed chatting. One can surmise that Suren Seneviratne wanted people in the crowd to dial his mobile. Getting through to him was impossible, believe me, I tried. I can only imagine how this disc jockey's phone bill will look at the end of the month.

This public display of strangeness was part of the newest installment by British artist Antony Gormley. The exhibit, called One and Other, is meant to be part performance art, part experiment in human nature. It's an absurd little show taking place on one of the most visible spots in one of the most celebrated squares in London.

Each hour for 24-hours per day for 100 days, a different person will be hoisted up to the empty plinth by an industrial lift. That person can do whatever it is they want in the space (within legal limits) be it drawing, dancing, knitting - or even getting naked (as public nudity is legal in Britain and even encouraged by Gormley).

In order to take part, people were selected from their applications submitted to the One and Other Web site. So far, over 20,000 applications have been submitted although there are only 2,400 spots in the exhibition with the month of September and October yet to be filled.

Trafalgar Square has traditionally been a place where people congregate and hold protests, rallies and events among grand statues, fountains and staircases. The square was built in the 1800s and features a central column and statue honoring Admiral Lord Nelson, who died from his wounds in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Nelson led the British Royal Navy to victory in the decisive battle against the combined French and Spanish navies, thereby confirming the British naval supremacy.

Bronze statues of British generals and sovereigns including General Sir Charles James Napier, Major General Sir Henry Havelock and King George IV stand stoically on three of the four plinths in the corners of the square.

The fourth plinth remained empty for many years until in 2005 the Mayor of London's Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group initiated a new string of artworks to be placed atop the plinth on a rotating basis.

Gormley then bid for and won the spot. Gormley said on the Fourth Plinth Web site that he wanted to create something that not only engages the public, but actually uses the public as a medium.

"This elevation of everyday life . . . allows us to reflect on the diversity, vulnerability and particularity of the individual in contemporary society," said Gormley on the Fourth Plinth Web site. "It's about democratizing art."

This sort of exhibition is typical for Gormley, whose art is largely based on the human form and his own body, said independent art curator, Meredith Gunderson, who happened to be watching the spectacle of the dancing panda.

"It's following suit in terms of a lot of artists making work that's not about objects anymore," said Gunderson. "I think we've reached a point where there's a hell of a lot of stuff out there. People are creating more experience sort of works and engaging the public."

And engaging the public, it did - even before it officially began. Just minutes before the opening, serial protestor Stuart Holmes scaled the plinth to unfurl a sign calling for a ban on cigarette smoking. He upstaged the actual opening act, a self-described stay-at-home mom, Rachel Wardell, who said she wasn't worried about Holmes stealing her limelight.

"He made it clear he was happy to come off. So at 9:00 I got straight up there," Wardell told ABC News.com

She complimented the event staff for being "great," and said "everyone was really calm," which made her ascension to the plinth run smoothly despite Holmes' unplanned coup.

Wardell reached the top of the plinth with a message of her own, broadcast on a faux lollipop. She represented the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children organization that works to end child abuse in the U.K. Wardell credited her two young boys, aged 5 and 2, with her decision to represent the children's hotline.

"I thought about what I wanted to say," said Wardell. "I knew I had an hour to speak to the world and I wanted to represent myself correctly. This is me."

In the first two days, participants have done a number of things including holding signs and chalkboards with messages, taking phone calls, dancing, drawing people in the crowd or simply engaging with those below.

Colin McGloin, 22, an observer, said that the exhibition "challenges traditional forms of art and allows the creative side of people to come out."

He said the people taking the high stage are clearly extroverts as he wouldn't get up there unless forced.

"If I had to, I'd probably stand up there with a bunch of roses and throw one down at a time . . . something daft like that," said McGloin.

Patel Jolly, 32, said she was quite happy that the exhibition was going on, adding that it is good entertainment for visitors.

"If you have a talent this could be a chance to show people," said Patel. "Some people don't always know what their talents are but this may be a good way to find out."

A local filmmaker, Christian Herrmann, 23, decided that the exhibition is an interesting idea, but "it depends on the quality of people up there." He said that people should come into it with a plan about what to do with their time, but he would probably "just stand there and take in the view."

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, mused on the significance of elevating people to the realm of heroes. He said on opening day, "It's a triumphant meditation on the themes of fame and glory. My friends, someday your plinth will come."

If you want to apply for an hour on the plinth or to simply watch what is going on, visit www.oneandother.co.uk