The latest artwork to be placed on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square appeared near the beginning of autumn. The work is a sculpture called "Antelope" and is created by Samson Kambalu. The fourth plinth statues have been temporary for several years now; originally, it was going to be home to a statue of King George IV. The temporary commissions started in 1999. "Antelope" will be in place for a year, and this sculpture is of John Chilembwe (the larger figure), who led a rebellion against colonialism in Malawi. The man was a Baptist preacher, and he was a black man. He is depicted wearing a hat, which was forbidden at the time for a black person to wear a hat in front of a white person. The smaller figure in the sculpture is John Chorley, a missionary.
Having Chilembwe as the larger figure highlights his importance and his story more than Chorley as many people of different races were not represented and forgotten in history while the richer white people were able to have the limelight. Now, it is Chilembwe's turn.
Previous commissions that had time on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square can be seen in the following posts:
2020: 'The End' by Heather Phillipson
2018: 'The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist'
2016: Really Good
2015: A horse skeleton with a stock ticker tape
2014: A giant blue rooster
2012: A boy on a rocking horse
2011: Ships in a bottle
2009: members of the public were encouraged to do their own 'thing' on the plinth
2005: limbless pregnant female statue
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