New Fourth Plinth Sculpture Unveiled Today

A striking new sculpture takes its place atop Trafalgar Square's famous Fourth Plinth today, as New York based artist Tschabalala Self's "Lady in Blue" officially replaces the previous installation in one of the art world's most closely watched public commissions. The ten foot bronze sculpture, patinated with a rare pigment known as lapis lazuli blue, marks the sixteenth work to occupy the plinth since the programme began in 1999.

Self's sculpture depicts a confident woman of color striding forward in a blue dress and heels, intended to represent a contemporary everywoman that the artist hopes many Londoners and visitors alike can relate to. Speaking about the piece, Self described her subject not as an idol to venerate or a historic figure to commemorate, but rather as a woman moving purposefully into a collective future, embodying what the artist called the spirit of the city itself.

Today's unveiling holds particular personal significance for Self, who has credited London with supporting several milestones in her artistic career. The artist noted that the city hosted her first institutional show, along with the first public presentation of one of her major painting series, describing London as the ideal home for this particular sculptural figure given that history of creative support.

The Lady in Blue was selected back in 2024 by the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, chaired by writer and curator Ekow Eshun, following a public engagement process that saw more than ten thousand votes cast on a shortlist of seven international artists drawn from America, Argentina, Romania, and the United Kingdom. That combination of expert curatorial judgment alongside genuine public input has become a defining feature of how the programme selects its commissions.

The sculpture replaces Mexican artist Teresa Margolles's "Mil Veces un Instante," which paid tribute to the existence of transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people during its own residency atop the plinth. Self's Lady in Blue will now remain in place for eighteen months, standing through 2028, before eventually giving way to the next commission already selected for that year.

The Fourth Plinth has built a remarkable reputation over more than a quarter century as one of the world's most talked about public art platforms, having hosted an eclectic range of works including a giant blue cockerel, a horse skeleton, an enormous bronze thumbs up, and a swirl of whipped cream topped with a cherry, fly, and drone. That variety reflects the programme's consistent willingness to embrace bold, sometimes provocative artistic statements within one of London's most historic and heavily trafficked public squares.

Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries Justine Simons has previously described the sculpture prize as entertaining Londoners and bringing out the art critic in everyone for the entirety of its twenty five year history. The programme receives funding from the Mayor of London alongside support from Arts Council England and Bloomberg Philanthropies, reflecting a public private partnership model that has helped sustain this ambitious public art initiative across multiple decades.

As Londoners and visitors encounter the Lady in Blue for the first time today, the sculpture joins a storied lineage of works that have transformed the northwest pedestal of Trafalgar Square into a genuinely dynamic showcase for contemporary art. With Andra Ursuta's shrouded equestrian sculpture already confirmed to follow in 2028, the Fourth Plinth programme continues demonstrating its enduring role as one of the art world's most accessible and widely debated public commissions.