( CNN ) From an iconic marble statue of a heavily pregnant disabled artist to the more recent giant blue cockerel , London 's Fourth Plinth art project has always provided a controversial modern twist to the traditional landmarks around London 's Trafalgar Square . The latest offering , `` Gift Horse , '' which took up residence in the Square 's northwest corner Thursday , looks set to continue the tradition with a work that explores the link between power , money and history , according to organizers . Unveiled by London 's Mayor Boris Johnson , the sculpture created by German-born conceptual artist Hans Haacke portrays a skeletal riderless horse with an ribbon-shaped electronic ticker tied to its left leg showing live market data from London 's Stock Exchange . `` 'Gift Horse ' is a startlingly original comment on the relationship between art and commerce and I hope it will stimulate as much debate as other works that have appeared on the plinth , '' Johnson said . The 13-feet high bronze skeleton is a `` wry comment , '' organizers say , on the equestrian statue of King William IV originally planned , but never realized for the plinth more than 150 years ago . Further nods to the past and the sculpture 's location can be found in the pose which is based on the engraving `` The Anatomy of a Horse '' by English artist George Stubbs , whose famous equine portraits hang on the walls of the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square 's north side . One of London 's most famous landmarks , Trafalgar Square is popular with tourists . 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 . In a career spanning half-a-century , Haacke has frequently explored the interconnectedness of art , power and money through installations , paintings , photography and written text . Many of Haacke 's most famous works have explored systems , be it physical -- as evidenced by his famous 1960s work `` Condensation Cube '' -- or the social and political as seen in `` MoMA Poll '' ( 1970 ) , `` A Breed Apart '' ( 1978 ) and more recently his `` Der Bevölkerung '' ( The People ) installed in Germany 's Reichstag building in Berlin in 2000 . `` It 's a very prominent spot , '' said the 78-year-old , reflecting on the `` Gift Horse 's '' positioning in Trafalgar Square , `` It 's very beautiful . Everybody sees it . '' `` There are other statues and the idea of having the empty plinth which has been made available periodically for artists is a great idea , '' added Haacke . Around Trafalgar Square there was mixed reaction to the sculpture . `` It definitely does n't look like a horse 's head , does it ? Looks more dinosaur-ish to me , '' said a slightly baffled female day-tripper from Wales , while another tourist seemed equally confused . `` My first impression was that it looked like an alien , because you see it and then you think , huh ? What is it ? '' said Toni , visiting from Switzerland . Local reaction was more positive though . `` I just think it 's very witty , '' said Londoner Tony Francis . `` I can see the ( George ) Stubbs influence . And I love the Stock Exchange ( ribbon ) scrolling round and the way they merge into each other . '' `` Gift Horse '' is the 10th artwork to sit on the plinth and follows the `` Hahn/Cock , '' created by German artist Katharina Fritsch which was in residence from July 2013 to February this year .
A new artwork for cent ##ennial 's granite Plinth unveiled Thursday . ' Gift Horse ' by German - born artist Hans Haacke will sit on plinth for six months . today 's is the 10th artwork to be unveiled on the plinth .