WHAT?  A Thousand Times in an Instant - Teresa Margolles

WHERE?  The Fourth Plinth, London WC2N 5NJ

WHEN?  Now, for two years until 2026 

WHY GO?  For art on a pedestal. It’s a far cry from statues of statesmen and royalty. This powerful new sculpture on the famous Fourth Plinth in bustling Trafalgar Square has shaken conservative opinion to the core. 

It’s a monument that pays tribute to the rights of the transgender community.  

Created by Mexican artist Teresa Margolles to celebrate the life of her transgender friend , a folk musician, artist and sex worker named Karla who was murdered in Mexico in 2015.  

Margolles responded with the urge to communicate through art and publicise the injustice and brutality of people who kill for reasons of hate. This extraordinary monument is her conceptual gift. 

This is the 15th commissioned work to be installed on the plinth where artists with a statement to air are put on a pedestal, and every artwork has received its fair share of praise and critique from visitors.

This huge sculptural box is made up of plaster cast faces akin to ancient Mexico’s penchant for skull racks, and if that sounds surreal, it’s also worth recognising that the faces will fade and disintegrate as they become more exposed to the vagaries of London’s inclement weather!

Go now, before it fades, it’s worth seeing, especially set against a bright blue sky and tellingly, “Every face tells a story” says the artist .

IN THE KNOW Discussion has raged over what, if anything, should permanently be placed on the Fourth Plinth.  Suggestions have ranged from Captain Sir Tom Moore (after the Covid pandemic), Alan Turing  (the greatest war hero) and latterly Queen Elizabeth ll. 

It seems no-one can quite decide, therefore it remains a bi-annual eclectic sculpture for purists and tourists to analyse and debate.