Another Place


Spent all day at the beach yesterday with a bunch of photographers photographing the amazing sculptures of Sir Antony Gormley. The day out was organised by ShootMirrorless.com with the view to getting photographers together so we can share and discuss our art and techniques.

Another Place

Another Place is a piece of modern sculpture by Sir Antony Gormley. It consists of 100 cast iron sculptures of the artist’s own body, facing towards the sea. After being displayed at several locations in Europe, it has become permanently located at Crosby Beach in north-western England. The work was controversial in the local area due to issues such as possible economic gain or environmental damage from tourism. A meeting on 7 March 2007 by Sefton Council accepted proposals that would allow the sculptures to be kept permanently at Crosby Beach in place of being moved to New York.

The cast iron figures face out to sea, spread over a 2 mile (3.2 km) stretch of the beach between Waterloo and Blundellsands. Each figure is 189 cm tall (nearly 6 feet 2½ inches) and weighs around 650 kg (over 1400 lb). In common with most of Gormley’s work, the figures are cast replicas of his own body. As the tides ebb and flow, the figures are revealed and submerged by the sea.

The figures were cast at two foundries, Hargreaves Foundry in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and Joseph and Jesse Siddons Foundry[4] in West Bromwich. Another Place was first exhibited on the beach of Cuxhaven, Germany, in 1997 and after that in Stavanger in Norway and De Panne in Belgium. – Source Wikipedia

18 replies to “Another Place”

    1. It was a great day Ann, like minded photographers talking to each other, sharing ideas and helping each other out. Crosby beach is very wide and very muddy though so you need to wear appropriate footwear and watch out for the incoming tide which comes in really fast.

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  2. That picture has an amazing feeling – as though the figure is at peace with where he is, rather than seeking those unexplored opportunities in the horizon.

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    1. It’s quite eerie out there Jude. Most people don’t venture out too far because of the mud. As it starts to get dark you keep capturing these distant figures in your peripheral vision. I found myself several times thinking “how did you get past me, I didn’t see you walk out”

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  3. What an extraordinary project. And an extraordinary place, according to your descriptions, especially knowing about the mud (I cannot help getting images of people slowly sinking down in it) and the fact that these figures keep appearing and disappearing. You certainly captured that eerie mood with the statue against the sunset. Fabulous!

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    1. I found that if I stood still I would slowly sink in Marga. I had to set my tripod up. then walk around a little. When the light was right I would come back and photograph. I kept doing this for about an hour as the sun was setting, place the tripod, compose the shot, shoot, and move. I got home late last night and I’ve just started cleaning my gear. everything has mud on it. Rubber boots, tripod, camera bag, the mud get everywhere and it’s so thick and cloying

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      1. Oh no, that sounds just like I imagined. I thought that maybe I was a bit biased by reading too much about the mud in the trenches of WWI, but actually I knew better, as we have the same sort of beaches, especially up north on the series of isles in the Waddenzee (kind of inner sea). I hope you can get all the mud from your gear. But I bet it was worthwhile the experience.

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        1. All cleaned. I might have to take the tripod to bits as it feels like sand/mud is trapped inside the legs, especially the bottom section. But I’ve done it before so it’s not a big problem.

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  4. Interesting and astounding to see a statue on a beach. It is awesome and inspiring. I’m sorry that you were essentially “mud bound” during and after the photo shoot. Beautiful scene.

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  5. Hi Yvonne, it’s not just one statue, there are 100 of them. I’m always wary of the mud, too easy to get stuck and with our very tidal beaches it can be dangerous if you get caught out. That’s why I’m always careful, especially on the coast.

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    1. It’s kind of underwhelming Theresa and yet I found it fascinating. The statues are so far apart. One of the statues was sitting on a pedestal so I suppose they must have some kind of post that goes down through the mud into the ground to support them

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