On Wednesday, London’s Trafalgar Square welcomed a fresh and thought-provoking addition.
The sculpture, titled “Mil Veces un Instante” (“A Thousand Times in an Instant”), aims to spotlight the trans community with its striking presence.
Created by Mexican artist Teresa Margolles, this piece is set to be a focal point of conversation and reflection.
London’s Trafalgar Square
A Sculpture with Deep Meaning
Margolles’ sculpture features plaster casts of 726 faces belonging to trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals.
Commissioned by the mayor’s office, it now graces one of the four iconic plinths in the square, right in front of the National Gallery.
Over the next two years, the sculpture will undergo transformations as the materials change, adding an evolving layer to its message.
A Personal Connection
Margolles shared that her work is deeply personal.
She was inspired by her friend Karla, a trans woman from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, who was tragically murdered in 2015.
The case remains unsolved, and Margolles credits Karla with opening her eyes to the struggles faced by the trans community.
“She was the one who introduced me to dialogue with the community,” said the artist.
A Voice for the Marginalized
Terry Holiday, a member of the trans community from Mexico, flew to London for the sculpture’s unveiling.
Holiday, whose face is among the 726 featured, emphasized the importance of this visibility.
“For us, this spotlight on the indifference and helplessness faced by trans women in Mexico and Latin America is crucial,” Holiday said.
“We are people, we are all human beings, we deserve the same treatment.”
The Plinth’s Historical Journey
The fourth plinth, constructed in 1841, was initially intended for an equestrian statue of William IV.
However, due to a lack of funds, it remained empty.
Since 1999, it has hosted 15 temporary art installations, ranging from a horse skeleton showcasing stock exchange prices to a massive blue cockerel and a giant bronze thumbs-up.
What’s next for this historically significant spot remains to be seen.
