Greetings from Liverpool
Another Place
On Crosby beach north of Liverpool one hundred cast-iron, life-size figures stand looking out to sea. The figures each weigh 650 kilos and are made from casts of the artist Anthony Gormley’s own body. They are spread out along three kilometres of the foreshore and stretch almost one kilometre out to sea.
According to Gormley, Another Place harnesses the ebb and flow of the tide to explore man’s relationship with nature:
‘The seaside is a good place to do this. Here time is tested by tide, architecture by the elements and the prevalence of sky seems to question the earth’s substance … This sculpture exposes to light and time the nakedness of a particular and peculiar body. It is no hero, no ideal, just the industrially reproduced body of a middle-aged man trying to remain standing and trying to breathe.’
36 Comments
leightontravels
Mmm, the black and white really suits this image. It’s such a pensive installation, your photo brings back fond memories of my own afternoon dotting around the beach tracking the various statues down.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you again Leighton 😊 It was black and white weather that day too!
equinoxio21
Liverpool now? Do you speak Scouse? (Or Scouser?)
Sarah Wilkie
No, that’s beyond me! I’m not very good at accents, though I can do a little Geordie (from Newcastle). The accent/dialect here is Scouse, the people are Scousers 🙂
equinoxio21
You’re the one who taught me about Geordie. (Which I find lots of fun.)
Scousers always remind me of the first time I heard the Beatles in an interview. They had no accent while singing. BUt they did when speaking.
Leanne Cole
That is so cool. Do you think they will eventually sink down so you can’t see them anymore?
Sarah Wilkie
If they do, it will take ages! The base of some of them was exposed and we could see how strong and stable they looked 😀
grandmisadventures
such an interesting art idea
Sarah Wilkie
It’s very unusual but not untypical of Gormley 😀
Image Earth Travel
Wow, I thought they were real people at first glance at your photos! Wonderful to see art everywhere…the world needs more of it, especially right now. 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
They do look like people when seen in the distance, at first glance at least. Thank you, I agree about needing plenty of art 😀
Marie
I’d love this….is it a permanent installation? We’ve actually never been to Liverpool…
Sarah Wilkie
Yes it’s permanent. I think it was originally intended to be temporary but it’s now agreed it will stay there. I hope you get to see it. And there’s plenty more to see in and around Liverpool!
margaret21
Ah, thank you for this. It’s years since we were in Crosby to see these – even though it’s next to M’s childhood stamping ground.
Sarah Wilkie
Glad to have taken you back, even just virtually. Thanks Margaret 😀
Tish Farrell
One very interesting man, Anthony Gormley. I recall seeing the TV prog with him being prepared for casting. Extraordinary!
Sarah Wilkie
Oh yes, I remember that programme now – thanks for reminding me 😀
Sue
Quite an art installation!
Sarah Wilkie
It is indeed! Thanks Sue 😀
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
I’ve seen photographs of that many times but have still to see it in person, which I’d love to do.
Sarah Wilkie
I’ve wanted to see it for some years so I was very happy together the opportunity to do so at last. Definitely recommended, Anabel 😀
Egídio
Fascinating!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Egidio 😀
Monkey's Tale
Must be fascinating to see so many over such a long space! Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
We didn’t walk the full length as the weather was pretty bad (raining, and cold for May) But even seeing about one kilometre of them was amazing!
Anne Sandler
Wow, what an amazing art installation.
Sarah Wilkie
Amazing is a good word for it Anne!
Graham Stephen
Splendid! Had to check to see when I was there — turns out it was 12 years ago (gosh! how did that happen?)
https://geotopoi.wordpress.com/2014/04/08/another-place-antony-gormley-crosby/
—·∞·⌖·⊙·✛·∞·—
Sarah Wilkie
I will have changed slightly since then, as the weather and algae have left their marks on the figures, but that’s not so obvious in these monochrome shots
Graham Stephen
👌👍🌟✨💫
bushboy
Rather interesting installation Sarah
Sarah Wilkie
Yes very – glad you found it so Brian 😀
wetanddustyroads
That’s a very interesting ‘exhibition’ (if it can be called that). And 100 figures over 3km – wow! I also think that if an uninformed person doesn’t know it’s artwork, they could be quite worried about the people standing so still in the water!
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, it’s an incredible sight! I would call it a single work of art really, rather than an exhibition, perhaps. And yes, maybe it could be concerning if you didn’t realise what it was 😀
Teresa
This looks interesting seeing these people just standing there.
Sarah Wilkie
It was fascinating, and so atmospheric!