Trafalgar Square, Nelsons Column and the Cock

Trafalgar Square, home of Nelson’s column recognises Admiral Horatio Nelson’s defeat of the combined French and Spanish fleets in the Napoleonic war. The battle cost him his life but established Britain’s claim to “rule the waves”. It’s old, majestic and traditional with huge stone lions, fountains, statues of kings and statesmen… So what is a giant blue chook doing there?

Well, it seems that a statue of King William IV on horseback was meant to be a match for King George IV on the plinth opposite. Royal equestrian statues don’t come cheap, though and there was no money for it when it was due to be built in 1841, so the plinth it should have stood on remained empty until recent years.

The square, which is (yet another) major tourist attraction, fronts the National Gallery, so in 2005, topping the empty plinth with contemporary art seemed like a good idea. The latest of a series of artworks is huge, odd and startlingly blue.

Boris Johnson is the larger than life London Mayor who has a mouth and hair flick that dwarfs, Kevin Rudd’s, is more exuberant than Tony Abbott and is more gaff-prone than George Bush, yet somehow he strangely endearing.

He unveiled the big blue bird in July 2013 (here’s video for your amusement): Link

The Cock. Yes, that’s it’s actual name is by feminist artist Katharina Fritsch and is actually meant to make a statement about masculinity. With it’s juxtaposition to Nelson’s (phalic) column. I guess it does…

Ann’s blog #14