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Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#40:�AntonyGormleyArtist�who�stacks�layers�inside�of�himself
Antony�Gormley’s�works�are�mostly�in�a�human�form.�His�sculptures,
however,�do�not�show�off�colors�or�sophisticated�techniques.�This�simplicity
reflects�the�artist’s�thoughts�that�encourage�us�not�to�focus�on�the�outside
but�on�the�inside�and�the�surrounding�environment.�Though�the�works�look
His�works�start�from�his�own�body�and�proceed�into�a�more�macroscopic
agenda,�which�is�the�human�mind.�Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#40,�presented�by
Bloomberg�and�Hyundai�Motor�features�the�sculptor�Antony�Gormley,�who
keenly�explores�into�the�human�body�and�mind.
Exploring�into�deep�layers�of�the�body�and�mind
ordinary�on�the�outside,�they�are�not�casual�at�all�since�they�contain�a�vast
psychological�world�which�knows�no�depth.
Antony�Gormley’s�works�represent�himself.�During�the�process�of�casting�his
own�body�to�create�the�sculptures,�he�is�trapped�inside�the�setting�plaster�not
being�able�to�move.�The�time�of�endurance�the�artist�goes�through�is�fully
demonstrated�in�the�works.�That�is�why�Gormley�presents�the�sculptures�in�a
natural�way�without�sporting�any�techniques,�inducing�the�viewers�to�see�the
body�as�where�the�condensed�mind�exists�instead�of�as�the�appearance.
Having�visited�India�and�Sri�Lanka�more�than�20�times,�he�is�deeply�interested
in�Buddhism,�meditation,�and�the�inner�world,�which�makes�his�works�results
of�spiritual�contemplation�rather�than�just�ordinary�sculptures�of�the�human
body.
He�believes�his�own�body�is�the�origin�of�his�inspiration,�the�subject�material,
and�the�artwork�itself.�He�caused�a�stir�throughout�the�British�art�scene�with
his�works�displayed�at�his�first�solo�exhibition�held�in�Whitechapel�Gallery,
London,�in�1981.�The�sculptures�produced�by�directly�casting�Gormley’s�body
showed�every�physical�feature�of�him.�Some�viewers�expressed�discomfort�at
the�works;�Gormley�never�pleaded�his�case�about�it�because,�to�the�artist,�the
body�is�something�he�can�feel�most�closely�and�the�only�way�that�enables
him�to�live�in�the�world,�while�his�body�represented�in�artworks�is�the
biological�marker�that�proves�the�life�he�has�had.�
“The�subject�matter�of�my�works�is�my�body�itself.�I�want�to�be�fully
immersed�in�the�actual�moments.�So�my�ideas�are�mostly�about�capturing
this�moment�right�now,”�said�Gormley,�which�indicates�that,�to�him,�his�body
is�a�subject�matter,�the�place�where�the�mind�resides,�and�the�artwork�itself.
Body,�where�the�condensed�mind�resides
We�visit�art�museums�or�galleries�to�see�artworks.�Gormley’s�works�are�seen
in�these�places�as�well,�except�that�they�create�greater�synergy�when�they
meet�with�public�environments�as�Gormley�considers�the�natural�and
historical�features�of�the�place�where�the�works�are�to�be�displayed.�
Placed�in�Gateshead,�England,�‘Angel�of�the�North�(1998)’�is�a�large�steel
sculpture�of�a�figure�with�its�both�wings�spread�wide,�with�the�height�of�20
meters�and�the�width�of�54�meters.�Though�it�is�now�one�of�the�most
representative�public�art�pieces�in�England,�the�project�didn’t�go�smooth�at
the�start.�At�the�time,�Gateshead�was�going�through�difficult�times�as�its�coal
mine�closed,�which�used�to�lead�the�region’s�economy,�which�resulted�in�the
citizens�taking�the�project�as�a�financial�burden.�Gateshead�Council,�however,
believed�in�the�far-reaching�power�of�culture�and�put�the�project�through
after�earnestly�persuading�the�citizens.�Thanks�to�the�council’s�effort,
Gormley’s�angel�could�spread�its�wings�wide.�As�mentioned�before,�Gormley
considers�the�environment�where�the�artwork�is�to�be�placed.�Resolving
people’s�strong�doubts�against�his�project�and�making�Gateshead�financially
flourish�again�were�the�greatest�challenges�he�faced.�In�the�circumstances,
he�started�the�project�with�a�question:�“Would�it�be�possible�to�make�a�work
with�a�certain�purpose�in�this�time�full�of�doubts�and�sufferings?”�Soon,
‘Angel�of�the�North’�became�the�solution�to�all.
Human,�environment,�and�sculpture
The�artist�says�the�angel�has�three�meanings�at�large;�first,�it�is�to�remember
hundreds�and�thousands�of�miners�who�had�worked�for�the�last�300�years�at
the�coal�mine�buried�beneath�the�sculpture.�It�also�symbolizes�the�transition
from�the�industrial�times�to�the�information�age.�Furthermore,�the�wings�of
the�angel�are�not�at�a�perfect�level�but�inclined�forward�by�3.5�degrees,�which
shows�the�work’s�attitude�of�embracing�everything.�This�means�the�artist
suggests�that�we�focus�on�hope�that�grows�stronger�in�hard�times,�which�is
the�last�meaning�Gormley�attached�to�the�sculpture.�
Eventually,�‘Angel�of�the�North’�brought�the�second�heyday�to�Gateshead.�All
of�these�might�have�been�not�possible�without�Gormley’s�philosophy�of
keenly�contemplating�the�historical�and�natural�context�of�the�environment
his�work�was�to�be�placed.�■�with�ARTINPOST
<RUN>�2016Cast�iron�277.5×318.6×421.8cm�ⓒ�Antony�Gormley.�Photo�ⓒ�White�Cube�(Ben�Westoby)
Antony�Gormley�explores�the�relationship�among�the�human�body,�space,
and�the�world.�The�artist�who�has�a�good�command�of�various�media�such�as
sculpture,�installation,�public�art,�still�experiments�with�the�possibility�of�the
“art�space”�with�continued�interest.�He�believes�there�is�the�possibility�of�new
acts,�thinking�and�emotions�in�the�"art�space".�Gormley�is�also�concerned
about�the�spiritual,�the�mind�enough�to�have�learnt�Buddhist�meditation.�His
works�have�been�influenced�by�the�dialogue�between�arts�and�the�spiritual.��
Born�in�1950,�London,�Antony�Gormley�is�acknowledged�as�an�international
artist;�he�participated�in�the�‘Documenta�Kassel’,�‘Venice�Biennale’�and�was
awarded�the�Turner�Prize�in�1994.�Antony�is�based�in�London�but�had�has
exhibitions�at�the�Malmö�Konsthall,�Sweden,�Kunsthaus�Bregenz,�Austria,
Centro�Cultural�Banco�do�Brasil,�São�Paulo,�Forte�di�Belvedere,�Florence�as
well�as�the�Hayward�Gallery�in�London.
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