Monday Muse
Monday Muse
Interview “Public Art Belongs to Everyone”: Jo Baxendale on How Art Changes a City
Interview
Jo Baxendale
Interview
Jo Baxendale
Last week, a five-metre figure in brilliant blue rose above Trafalgar Square. Tschabalala Self’s ‘Lady in Blue’, the much-anticipated latest commission for the Fourth Plinth, had arrived in the heart of London. For Jo Baxendale, who has worked on the Fourth Plinth programme at City Hall for the past decade and is currently Senior Policy Officer for Visual Art and Public Realm at the Greater London Authority, getting it there was an exercise in civic choreography. “It takes a village,” she says of installing a sculpture of that scale in one of the busiest public spaces in the city.
Baxendale has spent her career thinking about what, and who, gets to occupy those spaces. After studying Post War and Contemporary Art, she joined Arts Council England in 2008, working on a national programme of commissions for the London 2012 Olympics, before moving to the Mayor’s Office and taking on the Fourth Plinth. In 2018, she delivered Gillian Wearing’s statue of suffragist Millicent Fawcett, the first statue of a woman, by a woman, in Parliament Square. Today, alongside the Fourth Plinth, her work extends to a new memorial to the victims of transatlantic slavery in London’s Docklands and the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial in St James’s Park.
The timing could hardly be more fitting. London Sculpture Week begins on 19 September, bringing public art into the spotlight across the capital just days after Self’s new figure took her place above Trafalgar Square. Amidst the bustle of London’s September cultural calendar, The Wick caught up with Baxendale to talk about the democratic possibilities of art beyond gallery walls, what London must do to hold onto its cultural edge and the projects that have changed how the city represents itself. And after an intense few weeks bringing ‘Lady in Blue’ into being, perhaps it is no surprise that Tschabalala Self is also Baxendale’s ultimate Monday Muse.
Baxendale has spent her career thinking about what, and who, gets to occupy those spaces. After studying Post War and Contemporary Art, she joined Arts Council England in 2008, working on a national programme of commissions for the London 2012 Olympics, before moving to the Mayor’s Office and taking on the Fourth Plinth. In 2018, she delivered Gillian Wearing’s statue of suffragist Millicent Fawcett, the first statue of a woman, by a woman, in Parliament Square. Today, alongside the Fourth Plinth, her work extends to a new memorial to the victims of transatlantic slavery in London’s Docklands and the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial in St James’s Park.
The timing could hardly be more fitting. London Sculpture Week begins on 19 September, bringing public art into the spotlight across the capital just days after Self’s new figure took her place above Trafalgar Square. Amidst the bustle of London’s September cultural calendar, The Wick caught up with Baxendale to talk about the democratic possibilities of art beyond gallery walls, what London must do to hold onto its cultural edge and the projects that have changed how the city represents itself. And after an intense few weeks bringing ‘Lady in Blue’ into being, perhaps it is no surprise that Tschabalala Self is also Baxendale’s ultimate Monday Muse.
THE WICK:
What does a typical Monday look like for you?
Jo Baxendale: There’s no such thing as a truly typical Monday, which is one of the reasons I love my work. Last week we unveiled the new Fourth Plinth sculpture Lady in Blue by Tschabalala Self, so it has been an intense few weeks building up to that moment. It takes a village to get a 5m-tall sculpture on a plinth in the heart of a bustling city; choreographing that has taken up most of my time. It’s exciting, but I’m looking forward to having more time for the other projects and to getting out into the city as much as possible. Whether it’s heading to the office to catch up with Culture Team colleagues, responding to emails, visiting a site or meeting artists and partners, the best ideas come from being out in London and with like-minded people, rather than behind a desk.
TW:
You’ve spent much of your career championing art and creativity in the public realm. What was the journey to where you are now?
JB: I’ve always been fascinated by the way culture shapes our experience of cities. Throughout my career I’ve worked across cultural policy, placemaking and public art, supporting artists and organisations to create work beyond the gallery walls. What drew me to the public realm is its democratic nature. Public art belongs to everyone. It can surprise people on their way to work, spark conversation between strangers or make someone see a familiar place differently. That’s still what motivates me today.
“Public art is for everyone … great cultural cities don’t stand still; they evolve, take risks and continually make space for new voices.”
Jo Baxendale
TW: You have dedicated your career to culture within cities. Which project left the biggest imprint on you and the city?
JB:
The Fourth Plinth programme has an extraordinary ability to become part of London’s cultural conversation, so it’s certainly high on the list. The commissions challenge and delight people in equal measure and remind us that contemporary art can thrive in the heart of public life.
The Millicent Fawcett statue by Gillian Wearing CBE in Parliament Square also stands out as a particularly significant project. As the first statue of a woman in Parliament Square, it helped address a longstanding imbalance in representation and demonstrated the important role public monuments can play in reflecting the diversity of our history and society.
TW: London is one of the world’s great cultural capitals. What does the city have to do to stay ahead of the curve?
JB: London’s greatest strength is its diversity of talent, ideas and communities. To stay ahead, we need to make sure artists and creative practitioners can afford to live and work here, continue investing in grassroots as well as world-class culture, and create opportunities for the next generation of creative talent. We also need to remain open to experimentation. Great cultural cities don’t stand still; they evolve, take risks and continually make space for new voices.
TW:
London Sculpture Week kicks off on 19 September. What are you looking forward to most on the agenda?
JB: What I love about London Sculpture Week is that it celebrates the incredible breadth of sculpture being made and shown across the city for free. I’m looking forward to the chance to discover new work, hear artists speak about their practice and see how different organisations approach displaying sculpture in public settings. It’s also a wonderful reminder of the important role sculpture plays in shaping our public spaces and everyday experiences of the city.
TW:
If money were no object, which artist would you be starting your collection with as a first buy?
JB: Without hesitation, it would be Maurizio Cattelan. His work is provocative, witty and consistently challenges how we think about art, value and power. I admire the way he balances humour with serious cultural commentary. I’m also very excited to see his new show in Berlin. If money were no object, owning a significant Cattelan work would be a dream first purchase.
TW:
Frieze, fashion and film season puts London firmly in the international art spotlight. What do you most look forward to about that moment in the city’s cultural calendar?
JB:
I love the energy that takes over the city. London becomes a meeting point for artists, curators, designers, filmmakers, collectors and audiences from around the world. What excites me most is the sense of discovery. Alongside the headline events, there are hundreds of exhibitions, talks, performances and openings taking place across the city. It’s a moment when London’s creative ecosystem feels particularly visible, connected and alive.
TW:
What makes a truly great public art commission? And why is Lady in Blue making such an impact?
JB: A truly great public artwork combines artistic ambition with public resonance. It responds to its setting while provoking curiosity, conversation and reflection. The strongest commissions reveal something new about a place or about ourselves. Lady in Blue has all of those qualities. It invites people to think about representation, identity and who occupies our shared civic spaces, while remaining immediately approachable and relatable.
TW: You have worked with some extraordinary artists throughout your career. If you were stranded on a desert island, which one would you choose to spend the week with and why?
JB: I’d choose Michael Rakowitz. His practice is intellectually rich, deeply humane and rooted in remarkable storytelling. His was the first Fourth Plinth I worked on from start to finish and I have brilliant memories of this process. His work connects history, politics, culture and memory in ways that are both thought-provoking and accessible. I imagine a week on a desert island with Michael would involve fascinating conversations, endless curiosity and a completely different perspective on the world by the time I returned.
TW: What are you reading, watching and listening to right now?
JB:
I’ve just finished Famesick by Lena Dunham, and it’s one of those books that lingers long after you’ve turned the final page. I found it funny, moving and unexpectedly thought-provoking.
On screen, I’m eagerly looking forward to the next instalment of Rivals. Musically, I’ve been listening to Aldous Harding and revisiting Cat Power, both of whom continue to surprise and delight me. One of my highlights this year was seeing them perform at Green Man Festival. It feels like a particularly strong moment for women musicians, with so many artists producing work that is bold, distinctive and deeply original.
TW:
There are well-discussed challenges in working in creative industries right now. What advice would you give someone for success in a creative career?
JB: Stay curious and don’t be afraid of unexpected opportunities. Creative careers are rarely linear and some of the most valuable experiences can come from saying yes to something that wasn’t part of your original plan. Build genuine relationships, support your peers and be generous with your time and ideas; don’t be a gatekeeper and remember the arts are a broad church.
TW:
What’s your favourite culturally curious spot in London when you’re off duty?
JB: St James’s Park is one of my favourite places in London. Beyond its beauty and tranquillity in the heart of the city, it has a fascinating history and a unique connection to London’s civic and cultural life. I’m currently working on the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial in the park, which has given me an even deeper appreciation for the layers of history, memory and public life that it contains. Every visit offers a different perspective on London and its stories.
TW: Who is your ultimate Monday Muse?
JB: Tschabalala Self. I’m drawn to the confidence, originality and humanity of her work. Through her paintings and sculptures, she creates powerful representations of Black life that challenge traditional depictions and expand who we see represented in cultural spaces. There’s a real sense of agency, presence and self-determination in her practice that resonates with me. With her sculpture Lady in Blue, I’ve been thinking a lot about representation in public space, and Tschabalala Self’s work feels part of that wider and important cultural conversation.
