Yinka Shonibare Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle
24th May 2010 – 30th May 2011.
Trafalgar Square: London, WC2N 5
www.london.gov.uk/fourthplinth
A ship in a bottle is the latest in a long and interesting series of commissions to sit atop the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. The ship in question is a replica of HMS Victory, the flagship of Admiral Lord Nelson, and was created by artist Yinka Shonibare. Shonibare wanted for his piece to celebrate the man who the square owes its existence too, something which previous fourth plinth commissions have all failed to do. The accuracy and detail achieved by the artist is impressive, he did, however, choose to make one significant change to the model ship by replacing the sails with African cottons, which the artist says represents British multiculturalism.
