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Students display themselves in ‘Fifth Plinth’ art project
A pair of Bucks New University students found a novel way to attract the attention of passers-by to their display - by covering themselves in gold paint and a gold cardboard dress and posing as ‘living statues’.
Samantha Williams, who is studying BA (Hons) Fine Art, spent two days sitting on a ‘Fifth Plinth’, inspired by the famous Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, as a living work of art.
The imaginative first-year student came up with the idea for the eye-catching display from people posing as statues at the famous London landmark and decided to put it into action herself.
She said: “It’s certainly a very different way to publicise art at the University but I’ve had plenty of questions from other students and visitors to the University.
“I had worried that I would be sitting here all on my own but that couldn’t have been further from how it turned out and it’s been a really good thing to do. My overall idea for the piece was to get everyone involved in my work and to hopefully generate some interest for the work.
“I’d love to do the same thing at the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square and I like to think I’ve taken a different slant on the idea of displaying art-work.”
Samantha, who also completed a Foundation Course in Fine Art at Bucks New University, made cardboard pigeons to sit next to her and covered the items in newspapers to illustrate the real-life pigeons from Trafalgar Square and the newspapers she said are often found discarded on the ground. She added: “I would like to think I’ve created my own slice of Trafalgar Square at Bucks New University.”
Fellow student Georgina Fuller, who is studying BA (Hons) Music & Live Events Management, also took to the Fifth Plinth for a morning, wearing the same gold dress and gold paint.
She said: “It’s amazing to see the looks on some people’s faces as they pass by and this is certainly a different way to spend my time but it’s been quite eye-opening and is definitely something I’d consider doing again – possibly even on the actual Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square.”
Course Leader Alan Franklin said: “'The idea behind the plinth is to give students an opportunity to test their ideas in a public arena and it is the nature of Fine Art to challenge expectations and the status quo.
“Choosing to put oneself instead of an object on the plinth takes a lot of courage, especially for a young student who has only recently joined the course. I’m sure Samantha and Georgina will have grown in confidence from the experience and will have developed their ideas about how they share their art with their audience.”
The Fifth Plinth at Bucks New University is used as space for Fine Art students to display work. Other exhibits have included a water sculpture depicting a drop of water; 136 light bulbs, flocked with modelling grass, and topped with miniature trees; and chalk block from the cave system at The Hell-Fire Caves in West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
Samantha Williams, who is studying BA (Hons) Fine Art, spent two days sitting on a ‘Fifth Plinth’, inspired by the famous Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, as a living work of art.
The imaginative first-year student came up with the idea for the eye-catching display from people posing as statues at the famous London landmark and decided to put it into action herself.
She said: “It’s certainly a very different way to publicise art at the University but I’ve had plenty of questions from other students and visitors to the University.
“I had worried that I would be sitting here all on my own but that couldn’t have been further from how it turned out and it’s been a really good thing to do. My overall idea for the piece was to get everyone involved in my work and to hopefully generate some interest for the work.
“I’d love to do the same thing at the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square and I like to think I’ve taken a different slant on the idea of displaying art-work.”
Samantha, who also completed a Foundation Course in Fine Art at Bucks New University, made cardboard pigeons to sit next to her and covered the items in newspapers to illustrate the real-life pigeons from Trafalgar Square and the newspapers she said are often found discarded on the ground. She added: “I would like to think I’ve created my own slice of Trafalgar Square at Bucks New University.”
Fellow student Georgina Fuller, who is studying BA (Hons) Music & Live Events Management, also took to the Fifth Plinth for a morning, wearing the same gold dress and gold paint.
She said: “It’s amazing to see the looks on some people’s faces as they pass by and this is certainly a different way to spend my time but it’s been quite eye-opening and is definitely something I’d consider doing again – possibly even on the actual Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square.”
Course Leader Alan Franklin said: “'The idea behind the plinth is to give students an opportunity to test their ideas in a public arena and it is the nature of Fine Art to challenge expectations and the status quo.
“Choosing to put oneself instead of an object on the plinth takes a lot of courage, especially for a young student who has only recently joined the course. I’m sure Samantha and Georgina will have grown in confidence from the experience and will have developed their ideas about how they share their art with their audience.”
The Fifth Plinth at Bucks New University is used as space for Fine Art students to display work. Other exhibits have included a water sculpture depicting a drop of water; 136 light bulbs, flocked with modelling grass, and topped with miniature trees; and chalk block from the cave system at The Hell-Fire Caves in West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
