Sofka Smales, the 19 year old student of Criticism, Communication and Curation at London's Central St. Martins College arrives on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, London, at 12 pm on Saturday 11 September 2009.
From 6 July 2009 to 14 October the Fourth Plinth will be occupied by different people every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days. The rules are simple: you must stand on the Plinth alone, for the whole hour; you can do whatever you want, provided it is legal; and you can take anything with you that you can carry.
"I feel really passionate about this", explained Sofka. "My mother is half Greek and I lived in Greece for part of my childhood. I am really proud of that part of my heritage and have always felt that the Parthenon Marbles should rightly be returned to their country of origin. Especially now, that a first class museum has been built to house them."
Sofka arrived on the Plinth dressed in white with a sash and reflected lettering 'RESPECT' on the front and 'REUNITE' on the back. She carried onto the Plinth her posters, banners, plus the roll of wallpaper.
Below a crowd gathered as two acoustic musicians started to play popular Greek songs, others sang and some danced on what was a balmy September evening in Trafalgar Square.
Sofka's banners included one with an image of the New Acropolis Museum, others with images of the fragments and the frieze as seen in the British Museum. Large letters formed her slogan 'REUNITE', 'RESPECT CULTURE', 'RETURN THE PARTHENON SCULPTURE' and 'REUNITE THE MARBLES'. She also had the image of the horsemen used as a logo by the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles, with London and Athens marked under each section. Sofka used these two hand held banners to show how the frieze divided between Athens and London, would be best when they are reunited.
During her 60 minute stint on the plinth, Sofka wrote a letter on a piece of wallpaper, to Neil MacGregor, the Director of the British Museum. Below the crowd listened as she read it out load and cheered when she asked for the return of the Parthenon Scupltures to the new Acropolis Museum in Athens.
For photos, check out this link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/parthenonukcom/4146805411/
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