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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Man scales plinth ahead of launch | Man scales plinth ahead of launch |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A man has scaled Antony Gormley's Plinth art project in London's Trafalgar Square, minutes before the event was due to begin. | A man has scaled Antony Gormley's Plinth art project in London's Trafalgar Square, minutes before the event was due to begin. |
| Anti-smoking protestor Stuart Holmes took a running jump onto the plinth, but agreed to come down when the first participant was raised into place. | Anti-smoking protestor Stuart Holmes took a running jump onto the plinth, but agreed to come down when the first participant was raised into place. |
| London Mayor Boris Johnson said during his opening speech: "This is brilliant, this is what it's all about." | London Mayor Boris Johnson said during his opening speech: "This is brilliant, this is what it's all about." |
| A new volunteer will take to the plinth every hour for the next 100 days. | A new volunteer will take to the plinth every hour for the next 100 days. |
| More than 14,500 people have so far applied to take part in the event. | More than 14,500 people have so far applied to take part in the event. |
| We are reviewing security in light of what happened Helen Marriage, event organiser | We are reviewing security in light of what happened Helen Marriage, event organiser |
| "I think it's fantastic - it's about capturing art for the people. It's about democratising art," Johnson said. | "I think it's fantastic - it's about capturing art for the people. It's about democratising art," Johnson said. |
| He told the BBC: "It's a profound meditation on the nature of fame and talent. | He told the BBC: "It's a profound meditation on the nature of fame and talent. |
| "Do these toga'd buffoons cast in bronze around Trafalgar Square deserve any more celebration than this person up there? This is the question - that's what this operation is trying to answer, but I leave it to you." | "Do these toga'd buffoons cast in bronze around Trafalgar Square deserve any more celebration than this person up there? This is the question - that's what this operation is trying to answer, but I leave it to you." |
| The protest overshadowed the entrance of housewife Rachel Wardell, 35, who was the first "living statue" to take part in the One and Other project. | The protest overshadowed the entrance of housewife Rachel Wardell, 35, who was the first "living statue" to take part in the One and Other project. |
| As Ms Wardell was being winched into place, Gormley addressed the protestor: "I hope you understand the whole idea of this is one person, one hour, one at a time. | As Ms Wardell was being winched into place, Gormley addressed the protestor: "I hope you understand the whole idea of this is one person, one hour, one at a time. |
| Rachel Wardell was raising awareness for the NSPCC | |
| "I hope you are going to do the gentlemanly thing and when Rachel arrives give up your beautifully-taken moment to her." | "I hope you are going to do the gentlemanly thing and when Rachel arrives give up your beautifully-taken moment to her." |
| Mr Holmes shouted that he wanted to be handed a microphone, but Gormley replied: "No, you should have brought your own - that was part of the rule." | Mr Holmes shouted that he wanted to be handed a microphone, but Gormley replied: "No, you should have brought your own - that was part of the rule." |
| Mr Holmes was given a round of applause by the crowd when he came down peacefully. | Mr Holmes was given a round of applause by the crowd when he came down peacefully. |
| Gormley later told the BBC: "I owe him a big debt of gratitude for getting the whole thing off to bang." | Gormley later told the BBC: "I owe him a big debt of gratitude for getting the whole thing off to bang." |
| Helen Marriage, director of Artichoke, the organisation running the event, told the BBC steps were being taken to ensure a similar incident did not happen again. | Helen Marriage, director of Artichoke, the organisation running the event, told the BBC steps were being taken to ensure a similar incident did not happen again. |
| She said: "There were four security guards up there. But we are reviewing security in light of what happened and making any necessary changes to ensure it won't happen again." | She said: "There were four security guards up there. But we are reviewing security in light of what happened and making any necessary changes to ensure it won't happen again." |
| Speaking before the launch, Gormley explained the inspiration behind the art project. | |
| "I thought it was a interesting idea to pluck people from their daily lives, or from the street, and see what they look like as a representation," he told the BBC. | |
| The artist said the participants would experience "a nice tension between celebration and an elemental exposure test". | |
| "It's the sort of thing you might do more frequently on a mountainside than in the middle of London," he added. | |
| "The reaction is incredible - Rachel is the first one up and she's really going for it. | |
| Gormley added plans for the project had been "tenterhook-y", with Westminster Council only approving the project three weeks ago. | |
| Birthday | |
| Heather Pringle will be celebrating her 20th birthday on the plinth | |
| Ms Wardell was followed at 1000 BST by Jason Clark, a 41-year-old nurse from Brighton, who took pictures on his camera of the people below. | Ms Wardell was followed at 1000 BST by Jason Clark, a 41-year-old nurse from Brighton, who took pictures on his camera of the people below. |
| Other people to take to the plinth on the first day include Jill Gatcum, 51, a consultant from London, Suren Seneviratne, a 22-year-old Sri Lankan student and artist, and Ishvinder Singh Matharu, a 31-year-old optometrist from Chigwell in Essex. | Other people to take to the plinth on the first day include Jill Gatcum, 51, a consultant from London, Suren Seneviratne, a 22-year-old Sri Lankan student and artist, and Ishvinder Singh Matharu, a 31-year-old optometrist from Chigwell in Essex. |
| The oldest among July's 615 participants is pensioner Gwynneth Pedler, 83, from Oxford, who plans to signal with semaphore flags. | The oldest among July's 615 participants is pensioner Gwynneth Pedler, 83, from Oxford, who plans to signal with semaphore flags. |
| While Heather Pringle, a student from Hexham, will celebrate her 20th birthday on the plinth. | While Heather Pringle, a student from Hexham, will celebrate her 20th birthday on the plinth. |
| Living statues for following months will be announced later, with 2,400 people taking part up to 14 October. | Living statues for following months will be announced later, with 2,400 people taking part up to 14 October. |
| Participants are chosen at random by a computer and can do anything they want on the plinth - as long as it is legal. | Participants are chosen at random by a computer and can do anything they want on the plinth - as long as it is legal. |
| Applications will be accepted until 1 September when the last group of people are chosen. | Applications will be accepted until 1 September when the last group of people are chosen. |