Occupying the previously empty plinth at Trafalgar Square, the ship in bottle on Fourth Plinth is the work of British Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare.

Nelson's ship
Drawing on the history of the iconic London square and the historic statue on its famous column, the ship in bottle on Fourth Plinth is a scale replica of Admiral Nelson's flagship HMS Victory, which played an important role in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Nelson died aboard the Victory after being shot by a French marksman following the British defeat of the French battle fleet.

Yinka Shonibare
Having previously exhibited work at the 1997 Sensation exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, as well as at the Venice Biennial, Turner Prize nominee Yinka Shonibare was chosen ahead of artists such as Anish Kapoor Bob and Roberta Smith and Tracey Emin to take over the Fourth Plinth. Shonibare's ship in bottle on Fourth Plinth follows the Antony Gormley live installation One and Other, which took place in Trafalgar Square over the summer of 2009.

HMS Victory
Taking the form of a scale replica of the HMS Victory inside a large glass bottle, the ship in bottle on Fourth Plinth features 37 sails made of fabric bought from Brixton Market. Although commonly regarded as African fabric, the textiles were originally based on an Indonesian batik design and mass produced by the Dutch before being sold in West Africa, and are intended to reflect the multiculturalism and rich ethnic diversity of moden Britain.

Long standing show
Following Antony Gormley's high profile One and Other installation, Shonibare's tribute to the HMS Victory can been seen on the Fourth Plinth of Trafalgar Square for over a year from May 2010. The original ship can be seen in a dry dock at Portsmouth's Royal Naval Dockyard.

The ship in bottle on Fourth Plinth can be seen at Trafalgar Square from Monday 24th May 2010 and throughout 2011. The exhibition is free to attend.