“Let her finish!”

Life As you’ve probably noticed, Antony Gormley’s 4th plinth project for Trafalgar Square in London, One and Other, completed today. I watched as much of the final hour as I could within the limits of my broadband plan. Poignantly it was given by a supporter of the Hillsborough Justice campaign and she read out short obituaries for each of the ninety-six supporters who died. As the hour drew to a close, it became apparent that she might not finish, but she ploughed on anyway and with no one waiting to replace her, the organisers decided to let her complete the list and let go each of the balloons which were tethered to represent each of the people who died. It probably helped that people were chanting “Let her finish!” from the ground.

It was undoubtedly very strange to see an event that I was part of ending so far away, though I clapped along with the people in the square anyway. As I said at the time, despite my initial jitters I’m very pleased I took part. As far as I’m concerned this was art, undoubtedly conceptual, but art nonetheless. It’s also the kind of event that the people who participated in it, either because they were a plinther or simply went to watch, can look back on with nostalgia. In ten years, when I’m good god nearly forty-five and there are shows on BBC Four commemorating the noughties, and there’s a clip of someone dressed as Napoleon or holding a plackard, for once I’ll be able to say: “I was there. I did that. This is what it was like.” I haven’t had that often in life. Not many times I can say that. Now I can. Now I will.