Cristina Schek's Fern Girl, a monumental 4 × 4 metre surreal botanical portrait, was unveiled on the W4th Plinth in Chiswick on Saturday 19 September 2026, marking the artist's return to this much-loved public art installation. Cristina Schek is the first artist invited to present two different works on the W4th Plinth, following her acclaimed The Ceiling in the Sky in 2023.
The unveiling was led by Cynthia Valianti Corbett, Founder and Director of Cynthia Corbett Gallery, with a special address by Aura Woodward, Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in London. Accompanied by the Chiswick School choir and curated by Abundance London, the event brought together local residents, artists and supporters for a wonderful celebration of art in public space. Inspired by the extraordinary resilience of ferns, plants that have existed since long before the dinosaurs, Fern Girl explores nature, transformation and regeneration. The human figure gradually merges with the surrounding foliage, evoking a forest deity and the enduring relationship between humanity and the natural world.
The W4th Plinth in Chiswick, curated by Abundance London, shares the spirit of London's celebrated Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, bringing contemporary art into the heart of public life. With its emphasis on urban greening, environmental awareness and community engagement, the W4th Plinth creates a dialogue between art, nature and the city, themes at the heart of Fern Girl.
In the heart of Chiswick, Fern Girl transforms an everyday urban setting into an unexpected encounter with contemporary art. Alongside its public presentation on the W4th Plinth, the artwork is also available to acquire as a limited-edition fine art print for private collections.
From left: Councillor Ranjit Gill, Mayor of Hounslow; Aura Woodward, Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in London; Cristina Schek, artist; Gabriela Mocan, Project Manager at the Romanian Cultural Institute; Cynthia Valianti Corbett, Founder and Director of Cynthia Corbett Gallery and Young Masters rt Prize; and Dr Karen Liebreich MBE, Founder and Director of Abundance London.
