Street Art: Plinth Art

Accountability and Responsibility. 

Plinths bring selected items of the human world to attention. They isolate from the everyday space providing spatial boundaries and raise objects to eye level or above confirming the scale and that of the observer. A plinth is a magical structure that can elevate the ordinary to art status.

The recent CJA exhibition on Hillgrove Street transformed a series of metal bollards into plinths two days. Mounted by gravity, on narrow platforms, were placed an array of mutilated ceramic objects, revived from the depths of local charity shops. This sideshow provided us with entertainment as the figurines were brutally by people passing by who casually knocked the objects from glory. The project revealed how unobservant and disconnected we are to a world which is directly in front of us. How can anybody fail to notice a series of waist high silver bollards iced with grotesque sculptures?

Observing the auidence I noticed a range of responses to the objects and I was surprised by a reflection of humanity and our lack of responsibility for the world we live on. The sound of broken china was quickly followed by obscenities or quickly moving footsteps as the culprit increased pace and walked on by. A lady knocked a piece of work over, "What did you put that there for?", was screeched rather than an apology. A group of boys stomped and jumped on the pieces of china and crushed it further into the paving slabs below. I suggested that they would have to pay for their breakages as they had just destroyed very expensive artwork. "It wasn't me...it was already broken...", more obscenities followed as they kicked fragments across the cobbles. A wink after my comments ensured that my face did not end up in the same state. Only one child wanted to take a glazed bear home but his mother asked him to replace the object on another plinth, creating an artistic deviation of his own.

After several breakages not one member of the public helped to pick up the objects which lay obviously on the ground in ruins. Why is it that the blame is always passed on? Even those who can see objects in their path will jump to their own defense rather than act on the obvious (which would be to pick the debris up and put it in the bin). We are so quick to blame others but equally guilty if we do not respond ourselves. ?This micro study echoes the way we treat our planet. The problems are obvious but we are simply lazy, always holding out for somebody else to assume responsibility. Perhaps there is not enough time to take the back seat with our environment.

Another artist currently exploring the power of the plinth is Antony Gormley. His project 'One & Other' has provided one hour time slots for members of the public to act as the exhibit on the 6th plinth in Trafalgar Square. This brings art to human scale and provides a soap box for our celebrity obsessed society. It also acts as limelight for those with deeper humanitarian, ethical and environmental messages to be explored and brought to public attention and a mass audience.