Antony Gormley – Land

You will probably associate Antony Gormley with the Angel of the North, his amazing steel sculpture with a 54 metre wing span. He has created a number of other installations and his latest is Land celebrating the Landmark Trust’s 50th year. We were lucky enough to be in the area of one of the 5 pieces so set off for Kimmeridge beach, in Dorset, to find it.

It was not particularly well sign posted so when we had parked the car and faced the sea should we go left or right. The Jurassic coastline here is magnificent and provides a challenge for climbers, walkers and ornithologists who all search for the huge variety of flora and fauna that inhabit it. In this month’s edition of Countryfile which carries an interview with Gormley, it gave the address as Clavell Tower. As there was a tower structure on the hill to our left, that was where we headed. 

The sculpture is situated out on a spit of rocks which certainly needed clambering over. There was no neat concrete path for you to walk along to get your great snaps. Hubby was joined by another keen photographer and as they both bent and moved to get THAT photograph the world of technology interrupted this scene of nature when expletives issued forth as his camera battery ran out and he had to return to his care for another one.

The figures are constructed of Antony Gormley’s favourite material, steel and are made up of polyhedral blocks. During the interview, he was asked why he so often puts human figures into natural places. His response

‘There is something exciting about putting humanly made things into the elements’

They have no gender, strike a very lonely pose and certainly will battle with the elements  but with the Jurassic coastline behind it, this is a stunning piece of art.

Have you seen any of the others? They can be seen at Lengthsman’s Cottage, Warwickshire / Lundy, Bristol Channel / Martello Tower, Aldeburgh, Suffolk and Saddell Bay, Bute.

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