This September, a new sculpture by New York–based artist Tschabalala Self will be unveiled on London’s prestigious Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. The work, Lady in Blue (2026), will be rendered in bronze and patinated with lapis lazuli blue, a rare ultramarine hue that has traditionally been associated with the sacred and the celestial; the expensive pigment was also preferred by Renaissance painters.
“My work Lady in Blue will bring to Trafalgar Square a woman that many can relate to. 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,” said Self, who went on to praise the City of London for supporting her development as an artist—she has achieved many career milestones there, among them her first institutional show, as well as the debut presentation of her first major series of paintings.
There are four plinths that stand in each corner of Trafalgar Square in Central London, three of which permanently hold statues of prominent figureheads of 19th-century Britain, including King George IV, Sir Charles James Napier, and Major General Sir Henry Havelock. The fourth plinth, located in the northwestern corner of the square, is given over for a period of two years to an artist selected by The Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group. It is one of the most important platforms for exhibiting public sculpture in the world.
When it is installed this fall, Lady in Blue will replace Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant) (2024) by Teresa Margolles, which went on view in 2024. Previous commissions include Antelope (2022) by Samson Kambalu, THE END (2020) by Heather Phillipson, The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist by Michael Rakowitz (2018), and Really Good (2016) by David Shrigley OBE.
“[Self’s] bold contemporary sculpture of a confident young woman striding out with purpose will be a striking addition to this historical part of our city,” shared Justine Simons OBE, the deputy mayor for culture and the creative industries, “Inspiring Londoners, tourists and art lovers alike, as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”
