Fourth Plinth commissions for 2026 and 2028 unveiled

Gabriel Chaile, Ruth Ewan, Thomas J Price, Veronica Ryan, Chila Kumari Singh Burman and Tschabalala Self (Aaron Chown/PA)

A sculpture which pays homage to a young, metropolitan woman of colour and a life-sized person on a horse cast in slime-green resin will feature on the Fourth Plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square in 2026 and 2028 respectively.

Artists Tschabalala Self and Andra Ursuta will join an illustrious list of renowned artists, including Sir Antony Gormley and Dame Rachel Whiteread who have previously exhibited their work in the capital.

Samson Kambalu’s Antelope currently appears on the Fourth Plinth, while the next sculpture titled Improntas (Imprints) from Mexican artist Teresa Margolles will be unveiled in September.

Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth artwork — Lady In Blue by Tschabalala Self during the announcement of the shortlisted proposals for the next art commission for Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth, at the National Gallery in London (Aaron Chown/PA)

New York-born artist Self’s Lady In Blue sculpture will be installed in 2026.

Her bronze artwork is inspired by a contemporary “everywoman”, patinated with Lapis Lazuli blue – a rare and refined pigment that has been used since antiquity with global historical significance.

“My work ‘Lady In Blue’ will bring to Trafalgar Square a woman that many can relate to,” Self said.

“She is not an idol to venerate or a historic figurehead to commemorate. She is a woman striding forward into our collective future with ambition and purpose.

“She is a Londoner, who represents the city’s spirit.”

Self said the city of London has “supported my artistic development” and she is “beyond thrilled” to be giving back to the visual landscape with the commission.

“London is the best possible home for such a powerful figure as Lady In Blue,” she added.

Meanwhile Untitled by Romanian-born Ursuta will be installed in 2028.

The hollow equestrian statue covered in a shroud embodies multiple histories of public sculpture, during an increasing debate about the use of public space.

“My work deals with history; history makes sense of us as we try to make sense of it,” she said.

“Trafalgar Square is a place where multiple histories face one another in an open-ended standoff. It will never be finished. This is such a crucial, and beautiful, accident.”

The pair were selected from a seven-strong shortlist including Liverpool-born Chila Kumari Singh Burman; Argentinian Gabriel Chaile; Scottish Ruth Ewan; London-born Thomas J Price and Montserrat-born Veronica Ryan.

Models of the shortlisted artworks are on display at the National Gallery until March 17 2024.

The Trafalgar Square north-west pedestal has been home to art commissions for more than 25 years, with the first work titled Ecce Homo by Mark Wallinger unveiled in 1999.

Justine Simons, deputy mayor for Culture and Creative Industries, said: “I’m delighted that Tschabalala Self and Andra Ursuta have been selected as the next artists to display their work on the world-renowned Fourth Plinth.

“These artists were chosen from a fantastic shortlist that has inspired debate among Londoners.

“The sculpture prize has entertained and brought out the art critic in everybody for 25 years, and I have no doubt these two very different pieces will continue that fine tradition.”

The winning artworks were independently chosen by the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, chaired by Ekow Eshun, and informed by the public who were invited to have their say.