The Place To Be!

Antony Gormley, the sculptor, is best known for his Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead and Another Place on Formby beach.

The sculptures are included in Gormley’s early Three Part Lead Bodycase Works, produced from 1981 to 1985. These pieces were pivotal in his practice, utilizing casts of his own body to investigate the connection between the human form and the space it occupies. Instead of showcasing the body as an object of admiration, Gormley considers it a vessel for experience, a space in its own right.

On the 25th of May 2018, Antony Gormley’s first public commission, Places to Be, was re-sited thirty years after the three sculptures were first installed at the Peterborough rowing lake. Sitting high above the streets of Peterborough, three quiet figures stand watch. At first, they can be easy to miss, blending into the skyline of rooftops and façades.

The sculptures depict a figure shielding itself from the sun with one arm, a figure with arms outstretched, and a striding figure with arms at its sides. These forms lack specific identity, making them universal. They are not individual portraits but rather reflections of humanity, encouraging viewers to contemplate their own existence in the world.

Thanks, as always, for taking the time to read my Blog.

Please feel free to look at my other blogs, including Antony Gormley's Another Place.