Hans Haacke and David Shrigley, who both receive royalties from DACS, have been commissioned for the Fourth Plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square. Their designs will be unveiled in 2015 and 2016.
Fourth Plinth winning proposals
Last year we reported on the
Fourth Plinth shortlist and are delighted that Hans Haacke and David Shrigley have been awarded the commission. We collect royalties for both artists.
Gift Horse by Hans Haacke, a member of our German
sister society Bild-Kunst, will go up on the plinth in 2015. It depicts a riderless horse skeleton, wryly referencing the plinth’s originally planned equestrian statue of King William IV. With a live ticker of the London Stock Exchange attached to its leg, it draws connections between money, power and history.
Really Good by Turner Prize 2013 nominee
David Shrigley will see a 10-metre-high cast of a hand giving a disproportionately long thumbs-up. True to form, Shrigley evokes his characteristic playfulness, aiming the simple gesture to cheer everyone up.
London Mayor, Boris Johnson, said of the winning designs:
“The commissioning group has chosen two very different sculptures to go on the Fourth Plinth, with each being wryly enigmatic in their own way. Our rolling programme of art continues to surprise, providing a contrast to its historic surroundings and giving Londoners and visitors alike another reason to visit Trafalgar Square.”
Learn more about the commissions.
Find out more about the Fourth Plinth
The Fourth Plinth is funded by the
Mayor of London with support from
Arts Council England.
Katharina Fritsch’s giant blue cockerel
Hahn/Cock is currently installed on the plinth, following previous commissions by Elmgreen and Dragset and Yinka Shonibare MBE.
Learn about our rights management and royalties services for visual artists and their estates: Payback, Artist’s Resale Right and Copyright Licensing.
If you would like to reproduce an artwork by Hans Haacke, apply for a licence online or contact us.
Image: The winning Fourth Plinth 2015 and 2016 proposals by Hans Haacke (right) and David Shrigley (left). © James O Jenkins.