A new sculpture has appeared in Trafalgar Square! On September 10, the work by American artist Tshabalala Selff—“Lady in Blue”—was installed there. The five-meter bronze figure depicts a woman in a blue dress, high heels, and jewelry.
For one of London’s most famous monumental spaces, this was a deliberate choice: instead of an historical hero or an abstract self-portrait, Self places a collective image of the modern woman on the pedestal.
Self does not create a traditional, static monument; instead, it offers the image of a person who exists here and now. Therefore, the moving woman—one leg extended forward, arms spread, torso slightly tilted back—the heroine continues to step forward even though the pedestal’s space demands a halt. The blue color is also not arbitrary. It evokes ultramarine, historically derived from lapis lazuli and valued as one of the most expensive pigments. Furthermore, the vibrancy of the dress sharply sets the figure against the backdrop of the square and its historical architecture.
