One and Other
I've been watching the webstream of this, on and off, pretty much all summer. I also know (in person and via the internet) two people who have been on the plinth. I applied to be on it myself but didn't get a place. I actually applied twice, but I wasn't quite sure if the first time worked so I wasn't trying to cheat.
I really like it as an artwork. I've done a little bit of exploring about Anthony Gormley and his other works, the Angel of the North, which I guess that many people know, the tiny clay people, rooftop statues in London and his bread bed, among other things. His work always seems to have an awkwardness that many artists don't have.
Someone, somewhere (I'm not sure who) described One and Other as being about ordinary people and everyday lives, and for me that was the strength of it. I regarded the webstream as One and Other tv, a chance to see a lot of people who I would never ever meet in my own life. People talk about the diversity of Britain and they tend (me included) to mean ethnic and class diversity. There wasn't much of this on the plinth, I think because of lower diversity in involvement inEdinburgh, to a mum from Manchester and a doctor from the Northwest. And diversity of character, attitude to the cameras and people below. And everyone had stories, real lives which they came and went back to, which they were taking one hour away from to stand on a piece of stone in Trafalgar Square.
I went down one day in September when I was in London for a friend's birthday. I was too late to go to her house, but to early to go to the bar we were going to, so I bought a can of JD and coke (I know, yuk) and went and watched. There were other people there too, there's something unexpectedly compelling in a non-sexual way about a stranger allowing you to stare at them from a distance. During the half hour I was there, a man stood on the plinth and put on ever more t-shirts, about one every three or four minutes, turning round so that people could see the slogan or picture. He looked very happy. There were two ladies watching, I think they were his wife and sister but I could be wrong.
Anyway, to sum up, I think the work was about life and time, but also in another way about what it means to be British nowadays. Unexpectedly (happily for me) this turns out not to anything that could be contained in any citizenship test, but rather the ability to step onto a stage, scratch your head, shout "what's that?" to someone down below, and look non-plussed.
I really like it as an artwork. I've done a little bit of exploring about Anthony Gormley and his other works, the Angel of the North, which I guess that many people know, the tiny clay people, rooftop statues in London and his bread bed, among other things. His work always seems to have an awkwardness that many artists don't have.
Someone, somewhere (I'm not sure who) described One and Other as being about ordinary people and everyday lives, and for me that was the strength of it. I regarded the webstream as One and Other tv, a chance to see a lot of people who I would never ever meet in my own life. People talk about the diversity of Britain and they tend (me included) to mean ethnic and class diversity. There wasn't much of this on the plinth, I think because of lower diversity in involvement inEdinburgh, to a mum from Manchester and a doctor from the Northwest. And diversity of character, attitude to the cameras and people below. And everyone had stories, real lives which they came and went back to, which they were taking one hour away from to stand on a piece of stone in Trafalgar Square.
I went down one day in September when I was in London for a friend's birthday. I was too late to go to her house, but to early to go to the bar we were going to, so I bought a can of JD and coke (I know, yuk) and went and watched. There were other people there too, there's something unexpectedly compelling in a non-sexual way about a stranger allowing you to stare at them from a distance. During the half hour I was there, a man stood on the plinth and put on ever more t-shirts, about one every three or four minutes, turning round so that people could see the slogan or picture. He looked very happy. There were two ladies watching, I think they were his wife and sister but I could be wrong.
Some of my highlights are below:
I think they are all so worth watching, you may not feel the same way. I couldn't find some of my favourites, but I'll have a trawl through later if I can be bothered. There was a lady who made balls of clay who had an amazing aura (that's not a word I like but there is no other way to describe her) and a girl who made a field telephone out of cans and string, as well as the people I mentioned above whose links I didn't save. It's a bit of a big job to dig them out though so I may not manage it.
Anyway, to sum up, I think the work was about life and time, but also in another way about what it means to be British nowadays. Unexpectedly (happily for me) this turns out not to anything that could be contained in any citizenship test, but rather the ability to step onto a stage, scratch your head, shout "what's that?" to someone down below, and look non-plussed.
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