"No Way, Man": Lady in Blue Sculpture at London's Trafalgar Square Divides the Internet

• American artist Tschabalala Self unveiled Lady in Blue, a bronze sculpture atop London's historic Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square
• Self described the figure as an everywoman moving forward with confidence and joy, after three years of working on the piece
• The sculpture sparked fierce debate online, with viewers split between admiration and outrage

American artist Tschabalala Self unveiled her bronze sculpture Lady in Blue on London's famous Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square on 11 September 2026. The reveal quickly set the internet alight.

In a video shared by @artsy on TikTok, Self stood in front of the National Gallery and spoke directly to the camera about the meaning behind her work. She described the figure as "an everywoman" and "a young metropolitan woman" intended to resonate with anyone willing to see themselves in her.

"She's moving forward, she's not static, and she's moving forward with confidence and joy," Self said. "I'm hoping that when audiences see this artwork, they could feel that same confidence to move forward with optimism and with the collective in mind."

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Three years in the making

Self, who was born in Harlem, New York in 1990, spent three years developing the piece. It was produced at Factum in Madrid and finished in a distinctive blue patina derived from pigment refined from semi-precious lapis lazuli. The work is the 16th sculpture to occupy the Fourth Plinth since the commissioning programme launched in 1998, and replaces Teresa Margolles' Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant). It will remain on display for two years before being succeeded by a work from artist Andra Ursuța in 2028.

The Fourth Plinth was originally built for an equestrian statue of William IV but sat empty for more than 150 years due to lack of funding. The public art initiative was designed to fill that space with rotating contemporary works that challenge traditional notions of commemoration. Self's Lady in Blue fits that brief deliberately, contrasting with the square's surrounding monuments to monarchs and military figures.

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A Sculpture That Sparked Debate

The TikTok video drew a flood of strong opinions from viewers around the world:

@srmяблоко:

"I'm sorry, it looks like a negative stereotype."

@Emre:

"No way man..."

@Soph🤍:

"That's absolutely horrific..."

@kunai__xo:

"I love it, but I think the pose is what caught some people (outside the art) off guard."

@Q u i n n 🍀:

"It's powerful in its strikingness and controversy ♥️"

@Sunny333#:

"This is amazing. Lady in Blue 💞💃"

Self has also made waves in New York this year with Art Lovers, a 13-foot aluminium sculpture of an embracing Black couple installed on the facade of the New Museum to mark its campus expansion.

Watch the artist introduce her work here:

More on culture sparking online reactions

• Briefly News recently reported on a video of white South African men performing traditional Zulu stick fighting that had Mzansi celebrating unity.
• A Johannesburg-raised actress's journey to landing lead roles in New York theatre is inspiring young South Africans abroad.
• Briefly News also looked into how a South African fashion designer built a global luxury brand rooted in Tsonga heritage.

Source: Briefly News