Elmgreen & Dragset 's skulptur på Trafalgar Square afsløret

Den dansk-norske kunstnerduo Elmgreen & Dragset 's skulptur Powerless Structures, Fig. 101 på Trafalgar Square i London er blevet afsløret ved en ceremoni klokken 9 torsdag morgen. Skulpturen kommer til at pryde en af Londons centrale pladser under blandt andet det kommende OL. I 2013 udskiftes den gyldne skulptur, der forestiller en dreng på en gyngehest, med den tyske kunstner Katharina Fritsch 's skulptur Hahn / Cock. Skulpturserien på Trafalgar Square benævnes Fourth Plinth. Navnet hentyder til den fjerde sokkel på Trafalgar Square, der har stået tom i en årrække.

Elmgreen & Dragset: Powerless Structures, Fig. 101 på Trafalgar Square i London.

More about Michael Elmgreen of Elmgreen & Dragset (article written 30/8 2010):



Artist Michael Elmgreen of artist duo Elmgreen/Dragset wants to curb freedom of speech

In addition to writing for the Free Speech blog Sappho I have a blog in the Art Newspaper where I wrote about the Danish/Norwegian artist duo Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, the authors of “it´s never to late to say you’re sorry”. This has led to a thought-provoking debate with Michael Elmgreen on Facebook and later reprinted by Sappho



Anti-discrimination campaign



“it´s never to late to say you’re sorry” was set up in Gammeltorv, a central square in Copenhagen. It was part of an anti-discrimination campaign against hate speech and hate crimes and consists of a glass box with a megafon in it. Every day at 12 o’clock somebody takes the megafon out and shouts “it´s never to late to say you’re sorry”. Elmgreen and Dragset’s show-piece has been mentioned in several places including the newspaper Jyllands-Posten on august 18th 2010 where I myself am quoted as a source. It has also been discussed on two political blogs Snaphanen.dk and Uriasposten.net.



Freedom of speech misunderstood



Michael Elmgreen from Elmgreen/Dragset doesn´t like the idea of my linking to Snaphanen and Uriasposten and in a chat with me on Face book Michael Elmgreen takes me to task for using these links. And for using my freedom of speech.



I’ve never met Michael Elmgreen before, but I’ve chosen to publish my chats with him because I have the impression that he’s trying to intimidate me. He enjoys the right to say whatever he wants, but he doesn’t think other people should have this right if they disagree with him.



Here is our exchange of views:



“Michael (Michael Elmgreen, ed.)



Excuse me, but I don’t think Art Newspaper should became a platform for The Danish People’s Party



13:05 Me (Uwe Max Jensen, ed.)



You don´t think that’s right?



13:05 Michael



No, I think its a a misuse of free speech



13:06 Me



Why not write a commentary on the blog?



13:06 Michael



generally in Denmark



13:06 Me



Perhaps you could explain what you’re so critical of?



13:07 Michael



I don´t think it´s worth talking on that level. This is what has brought the whole tone of the debate in the media down to a childish and indecent level during the last few years.



13:09 Me



Freedom of speech also includes things you don´t like



13:25



Michael is offline.”



***



Take part in public debate



Instead of exerting pressure via Facebook I propose that Michael Elmgreen from Elmgreen & Dragset takes part in a debate.