SHHHHH... Mr Penny is getting annoyed...

Sup,

This is a picture of The National Gallery in London. A stunning building and awesome feat of architectural engineering. This beautiful building was suggested by John Nash in the early 1800's. In 1831 a commission was put to architect William Wilkins, and the building was completed in 1838.

Wilkins originally intended the building to be a 'Temple of the Arts, nurturing contemporary art through historical example'. Over the years it has become the home to mind-blowing masterpieces. The work of such geniuses as Monet, Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Seurat, Constable and da Vinci, among many many more, can all be found here as 'resident' works, with hundreds more on loan from other galleries. The National Gallery is a national treasure. A truly wonderful, eye opening place.

Unfortunately, in 2009, the gallery is facing a BIG problem.

DUN DUN DUHHHHHHHH.......

In front of the gallery, situated at the base of it's steps, is Trafalgar Square. Laid out by Charles Barry in the early 1840's just after the compleation of the gallery. The square is home to one Nelson's Column, four fountains, four 'car sized' lions, hundreds of artists, musicians, and performers, thousands of tourists and millions of pigeons. A beautiful place that has been enjoyed by the public for over one thousand years. Recently however, this public place has become the home to one or two public events.

• Welcoming home England's 'World Cup winning' rugby team
• VE day ceremonies
• New Years celebrations
• Political rallies
  
• Anti-war and peace demonstrations

Unfortunately, some people don't seem to like the increasing number of events. I say 'some people', just one man really.

Enter Mr Nicholas Penny, art historian and Director of the National Gallery. He is also a man who is so concerned by the "bloody awful" state of London's famous square that he would rather have the roads re-opened and the traffic return.

In a 2008 interview with The Telegraph titled "We must take risks" he is called "that rare thing - a legendary scholar and supremely gifted curator". I'm not saying that he isn't, I'm sure he knows more about art than I could ever hope to know.

In the same interview when asked by journalist Richard Dorment what is was that attracted him to this position, he says "In this office, I am at the heart of things. When I try to work here at the weekend, there is continual noise from Trafalgar Square: I really feel as if I am in the centre of a great city."

He has this week been ranting to The Times about the noise coming from the events held in the square.

Hypocrite.

In the corners of Trafalgar Square are four plinths. Atop of three of them are statues, while the fourth has been empty since 1841 due to insufficient funds for a fourth statue.

Mr Penny's rant comes in the wake of an installation by visual artist and sculpture Anthony Gormley, which puts plinth number four to good use. Each hour, a person stands on top of the plinth to become a 'living sculpture'. A genius idea. In contrast to the other three statues, the plinth in the north west corner has become a constantly changing picture. Not only is this piece of art contrasting to the statues, but also to the calm and quiet in the gallery.#

Untill the 14th October you can view a live stream of the instalation here.

Mr. Penny's rant is not directly aimed at the installation itself, but rather at the crowds that it and other public events are drawing.

Now I don't know about you, but to me any public event can be classed as art. From a music festival to political rallies, from cheering sports heros to celebrating the war dead, it is all art. The sheer organising of such events is itself an art. Outside an art gallery on such a beautiful square is the perfect place for any celebration of the arts.

"Levels of civil behavior are incredibly low. People are riding the lions and climbing on the reliefs of Nelson's Cloumn... A lot of people find it rather extraordinary that a temple of art should be surrounded by abandoned beer cans and litter" continues Penny to The Times.

Ok, fair point. Why should anybody have to put up with discarded beer tins and people defacing such beautiful architecture? But don't instantly go about blaming this on public events. Aren't these events organised with this in mind? Do people not get hired to clean up? Does London city council not employ people to clean the streets?

Here's what I suggest. If the crowds are too noisy for you then

1. move your office.
2. install double glazing.
   
3. go outside and see what all the fuss is about.
4. realise that new crowds are being brought to the doorstep of the gallery.
   
5. accept the fact that the square is a public place and put your skills to better use elsewhere.

It amuses me that Mr. Penny's neighbour and the Director of National Portrait Gallery, Sandy Nairne, told The Times "I think it's a tremedously good thing. It has transformed the Square. It has transformed The National Gallery".



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