Here's the future of the fourth plinth. It's a ship, in a bottle, on a plinth, in a square. The work, by London-born artist Yinka Shonibare, shows HMS Victory entombed in acrylic. Although he'll have his back to it, lofty Lord Nelson will finally be reunited with his flagship. But would he recognise it? The sails are decorated with African prints from Brixton Market to reflect 'multicultural Britain'. And it's in a bottle, which would have been something of a nuisance at Trafalgar. The piece has now been approved by Westminster Council, and will occupy the plinth from April 2010 until 2012. But before the Senior Service sails into the square, a prominent member of the RAF gets a few months on the dais. A statue of Sir Keith Park, hero of the Battle of Britain, will bring a more traditional mood to the plinth from October.
