Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth to turn blue with bronze sculpture by Tschabalala Self

"The date has been set for the next Fourth Plinth art commission to go on display in Trafalgar Square. In September, New York based artist Tschabalala Self's sculpture of a young woman in blue will go on display, replacing Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant) by Teresa Margolles, which is currently in situ. Made of bronze, the new work will be patinated in Lapis Lazuli blue, a rare and refined pigment used since antiquity."

"Tschabalala Self is an artist working across painting, printmaking and sculpture. Her practice explores representations of the human figure, with a particular focus on women, using sewn, printed, and painted materials. Born in New York in 1990, she lives and works in New York. Self was announced as winning the commission in March 2024, along with Andra Ursuţa whose work will be unveiled on the Fourth Plinth in 2028."

"The artists were independently chosen by the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, chaired by Ekow Eshun OBE. The public were invited to have their say on the shortlisted artworks, which informed the decision of the commissioning group. Previous Fourth Plinth commissions include Alison Lapper Pregnant by Marc Quinn (2005), Nelson's Ship in a Bottle by Yinka Shonibare CBE (2010), and The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist by Michael Rakowitz (2018)."

In September 2026 New York–based artist Tschabalala Self’s bronze sculpture of a young woman in blue will be installed on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, replacing Teresa Margolles’s Mil Veces un Instante. The sculpture will be patinated in Lapis Lazuli blue, a rare pigment used since antiquity. Self works across painting, printmaking and sculpture and explores representations of the human figure with a focus on women, using sewn, printed and painted materials. Self was announced as the 2026 commission winner in March 2024 alongside Andra Ursuţa, whose work is scheduled for 2028. The Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group selected the artists after public consultation.

Read at ianVisits