Antony Gormley’s iron artwork arrives at Breaker’s Place
We’re delighted to announce the latest artwork coming to Notting Dale comes from one of Britain’s most acclaimed sculptors, Antony Gormley OBE.
His 2016 piece Root sits on the campus’ central public realm Breaker’s Place alongside art from King and De Cunha, contrasting the former’s pastel colours and curving shapes with rich, iron tones and contorted shape . The Angel of the North sculptor is famed for use of iron with Roots proving no exception.
This cast iron piece weaves a poignant vision of the human condition: eternally suspended between order and chaos, nature and structure.⠀
⠀
The art was acquired for Notting Dale with the proceeds from the sale being donated by Gormley and White Cube Gallery to raise funds for the 'Artists for Client Earth' initiative. This is an unsurprising move from Gormley, who has long been an advocate for action against climate change with a number of his previous pieces exploring the issue.
Simultaneously resembling tree roots, an aerial and an inverted human form, 'Root' vividly evokes ClientEarth's central theme: namely, the interaction between the natural and man-made worlds. ⠀
⠀
Rendered from iron—the Earth's core material—the work conjures a plant-like system of antennae, tendrils and branches, which proliferate into a bodily structure. ⠀
With his 72nd birthday approaching, the London born sculptor shows no sign of slowing down with his famed exploration of the human body continuing to create intrigue and inspiration.