Following his inclusion at White Cube‘s booth at Art Basel Miami Beach, acclaimed British sculptor Antony Gormley has unveiled a new solo exhibition at the gallery’s London flagship. Entitled Body Politic, the show encompasses five bodies of work that probe into the body’s relationship with the industrial world.
Central to his practice is an exploration into humanity’s migratory nature. For nearly five decades, Gormley has interrogated bodily movements through geometric sculptures made from natural and manmade materials. Often cast by using his own body as a model, whether standing up, kneeled down or slouched on the floor, Gormley’s sculptures and installations implore visitors to become aware of their own freedoms of movement.
Courtesy Of The Artist And White Cube
Courtesy Of The Artist And White Cube
Courtesy Of The Artist And White Cube
Courtesy Of The Artist And White Cube
Courtesy Of The Artist And White Cube
In Body Politic, the British artist presents a series of new sculptures made of recycled steel, cast iron, reinforced concrete and more. Standout works include an installation dubbed Resting Place (2023), featuring 244 terracotta figures — each positioned in the shape of a different human movement, but equally shown to represent little city buildings to which Gormley believes humanity has evolved towards to inhabit rather than the forests native to our ancient ancestors. “We make a world,” noted Gormley, “but then that world makes us. This is our condition. We are embedded in and determined by our context.”
The exhibition is also accompanied by a new catalog published for the occasion that maps out the past three years of Gormley’s practice. Body Politic will be on view until January 28.
White Cube Bermondsey
144 – 152 Bermondsey Street
London SE1 3TQ
