Alison Lapper Pregnant. Photo credit: Tim Graham
In this new series, writers discuss their favourite artworks.
What: Alison Lapper Pregnant
Artist: Marc Quinn
Type: Sculpture
Medium: Italian Carrara marble
Subject: Alison Lapper, an English artist born with phocomelia (no arms and with shortened legs)
Where: The Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square from September 2005 till late 2007
Why: Alison Lapper Pregnant challenges people’s perceptions of the human form and femininity. Having the artwork at Trafalgar Square is hugely significant as the location hosts mammoth sculptures of masculine, wartime figures such as Major-General Sir Henry Havelock. The presence of Alison Lapper Pregnant alongside these soldiers indicate the equal importance of disability rights and motherhood. Utterly inspirational.
Legacy: This artwork was a centrepiece at the 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony in London, 2012
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