LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- The famous `` empty '' fourth plinth in London 's Trafalgar Square is to be occupied by volunteers for 100 consecutive days , 24 hours a day , the artist Antony Gormley has announced . Marc Quinn 's work `` Alison Lapper Pregnant '' caused a stir when it was unveiled on the fourth plinth . Since 2005 the Mayor of London 's Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group has picked an artist or artists to fill the landmark space with a new piece . Gormley and Yinka Shonibare , whose scale replica of Nelson 's ship , HMS Victory , will follow later in the year , were selected from a shortlist of six artists . What would you do on the plinth ? Tell us . Gormley , renowned for iconic works which include `` The Angel of the North , '' Thursday announced his plans to encourage volunteers from around the UK to stand on the plinth . The work , titled `` One & Other , '' will run from July 6 to October 14 and involve 2,400 people who will stand on the plinth for an hour each . The volunteers can do anything they like on the plinth . Trafalqar Square , which is popular with tourists , is one of London 's landmarks . Named after a famed 1805 British naval victory against the French , its centerpiece is a column commemorating Lord Horatio Nelson , who died during the conflict . Over the decades , the square has been the place where Londoners go to celebrate sporting victories or national occasions , as well as stage demonstrations . The fourth plinth is the only one not to hold a statue . Built in 1841 , it was intended to hold a tribute to King William IV -- but fundraising efforts proved insufficient . Since then it has remained empty , despite arguments over the decades as to a worthy occupant . In 1999 , it was decided that a rotating series of artworks should occupy the plinth . Pieces to have occupied the space in the past have included a life-size statue of Jesus , an inverted replica of the plinth and a colored glass hotel for the square 's famed pigeons . Gormley said the idea behind his piece was very simple . `` Through putting a person onto the plinth , the body becomes a metaphor , a symbol . In the context of Trafalgar Square with its military , valedictory and male historical statues , this elevation of everyday life to the position formerly occupied by monumental art allows us to reflect on the diversity , vulnerability and particularity of the individual in contemporary society . `` It 's about people coming together to do something extraordinary and unpredictable . It could be tragic but it could also be funny , '' Gormley said . London mayor Boris Johnson said it was a fantastic idea . `` It 's going to be a brilliant case of people coming to art and art coming to the people as the people become the art . A very public demonstration of democracy in action . '' Ekow Eshun , chair of the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group , said Gormley 's idea was `` outstanding . '' `` ( It 's ) a bold , arresting work that reflects on the multi-faceted nature of modern Britain . '' Applications will be taken from April , with the winning volunteers randomly selected .
Public a chance to stand on the landmark for 100 days . The Square 's ` ` empty '' fourth plinth will require 100 days . Artist Antony Gormley using people in artwork called ` ` One & Other '' Trafalgar Square is landmark destination for young , people .