“Plastic bag Vermeer” on the Fourth Plinth
Towards a Plastic-Bag-Free Kingston co-ordinator Marilyn Mason became a plastic bag work of art in the early hours of 18th September, when she was selected to appear on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square as part of Antony Gormley’s epic art project “One & Other”.
“I only had two days’ notice,” says Marilyn, “so I took my inspiration from a Vermeer-like photo by Hendrik Kerstens of his daughter wearing a plastic bag in the style of a seventeenth century cap. I went a bit further, with a plastic bag skirt, top, sleeves apron, and scarf too!” She reports that plastic bags proved quite cosy on a cold September night, but they were noisy, fragile and uncomfortable and she wouldn’t recommend them as clothing.
Marilyn sat as still and silently on the plinth as she could for her one hour, and just in case her artistic efforts made plastic bags look too attractive, she appeared to be reading from a book entitled “The Occasional Plastic Bag Has Its Uses – But Do We Each Really Need 300 A Year?” A few plastic bags drifted around the almost empty Trafalgar Square, which helped to make her point. You can Watch the One & Other webstream and read about Marilyn's participation here.
Look out for the "plastic bag Vermeer" at a shopping parade somewhere near you – Greener upon Thames campaigners plan to bring this contemporary artwork to shopping centres around Kingston in the next few weeks.
Notes for editors
Some plastic bags were injured in the creation of this artwork, but they will be recycled.
Selection of photos of the One & Other appearance at http://www.e-voice.org.uk/greenerkingston/photos/album?album_id=3422605 – better quality pics can be emailed on request.
More about Antony Gormley’s One & Other at http://www.oneandother.co.uk/
You can see the original beautiful Kerstens photo at http://www.hendrikkerstens.com/