18/09/2009

'ANOTHER PLACE'

I've been so busy in the last few weeks with my pre moving house decluttering that I've neglected blogland! I'm almost ready for the first car load of STUFF to transport down to Plymouth tomorrow where I will be staying for 3 weeks before returning to Leeds for the final packing and cleaning of the house. Although I'm moving down to Plymouth I have decided to take some time out and defer my degree for a year - I'm going WALKABOUT and about this I will write something later on as I'm not starting until November - in the meantime inbetween the sorting, packing, going backwards and forwards from one end of the country I decided to mark the beginning of my decision to go WALKABOUT last Monday and go to ' ANOTHER PLACE' - it seemed a fitting start! I took the train to Liverpool and then to Crosby Beach, just a few miles north - as I walked from the station at Blundelsands/Crosby I turned around - this was behind me............... Liverpool Docks!
And this was ahead of me - I felt excited at the anticipation of what was waiting on the other side of the dunes...
THIS.........................
'ANOTHER PLACE' - 100 cast iron figures by the artist Anthony Gormley spread along 3 kms of beach and reaching 1 km out to sea. According to Antony Gormley, Another Place harnesses the ebb and flow of the tide to explore man's relationship with nature. He says "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. In this work human life is tested against planetary time. 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, facing a horizon busy with ships moving materials and manufactured things around the planet." The figures are life size casts of Gormley's body. Incredibly they all seem to be so different..........I felt so moved - just look at this face - he seemed to have a tear rolling down his cheek!

this figure was near to the dunes and not submerged by water very often - the patina of the rusty iron was incredible to feel - something you just can't do in a gallery!
And this one much nearer to the sea - spending much more time under water

Quite spooky really..........
I tried to capture the expanse of the beach but it felt impossible........... the high tides here can rise by 100ft and at certain times all 100 figures are completely submerged - I was lucky enough to catch a very low tide and walk 1km out towards the sea......

Next week I'm off to Venice to the Biennale - more about that in a couple of weeks!



13 comments:

layers said...

These 100 figures on the beach are just fabulous! I would walk along and look closely at every one. thank you for sharing them.

Sarah said...

My best friend lives just by that beach, it's a stunning place isn't it (a bit creepy at dusk though!) And a really successful piece of art I think.

Good look with the move and the packing, and the de clutter too :)

William Evertson said...

Very moving piece. Thanks for sharing it. Sounds like we'll have the pleasure of sharing some of your journeys in the months to come. :)

p said...

unbelievable. stunning find. i wish you well on your upcoming move and walkabout.

ArtPropelled said...

They really are fantastic aren't they. I did a post on Gormley a few months ago and would love to see these figures face to face. Amazing effect with the barnicles and weed growing on them. So glad I found this post.

Unknown said...

This is my home beach! I grew up just 5 minutes from here, way way back before the arrival of the figures. It's great to see how they have weathered each time I go back for a visit.

RosieK said...

What lovely comments from you all - it gives me so much pleasure reading them!

Layers - yes you could spend lots of time here!
Sarah - yes I imagine dusk would be very different as would winter - the next visit I'll keep this in mind!
Bill - my travels will be exciting starting with Venice on Tuesday!
Self taught - thank you so much for your comment
Art propelled - well worth a visit as photographs just don't seem to do this landscape justice!
Annie - wow what a place to grow up in and be able to visit regularly - so you are a Liverbird then!

Dianne Poinski said...

Wow! What a sight that must be.
Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures coming up.

lynne h said...

rosie! i am so happy to read that you're going Walkabout! ohhhh, i will stay tuned!

this antony gormley art is very moving. yes, i feel sure i see a tear rolling down his cheek... and the barnacles... wow. it touches me.

i am sending you wishes for a joy filled trip!

Art said...

What a beautiful work in a beautiful setting. Can't wait to hear about what else you're seeing :)

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

So special to be able to walk among these figures and think all the thoughts that they evoke. Thank you for sharing these.
Good luck with this packing and moving forward and mostly have a wonderful time at the Biennale!

Four Seasons in a Life said...

I am glad to have discovered your site and especially seeing your most recent post and these incredible figures that stretch the coastline.

Haunting and the one covered by seas growth looks as if he is a survivor of the atomic or chemical war.

I think that under different weather conditions and times of the year, the appearance of these sculptures take on a different personality.

Thank you for sharing.
Egmont

Anonymous said...

Yes, with public art you can touch touch touch!

How moving to see them and also witness their slow decline, as I guess we all do. Return to the earth.

HAppy Voyages and I hope to see you in Sydney.