Mystery over the return of Iron:Man
HE’S 27 years old and 20ft tall. He’s rusty. And he leans over to one side.
But we haven’t half missed him... It is three years since news first broke that Sir Antony Gormley’s Iron:Man statue was about to be uprooted to make way for the West Midlands Metro tram extension from Grand Central to Centenary Square.
From that August 15, 2017 revelation, there would be just 19 days left to see the six-metre tall figure in situ before he vanished. And it seems we’re going to have to wait a while longer before we see Iron:Man back in the heart of town again.
Birmingham City Council said: “Council officers are endeavouring to reinstate Iron:Man at a date yet to be confirmed, at a revised location, in consultation with the artist Sir Antony Gormley next to the Town Hall.”
Iron:Man was removed at around the same time that the ‘Golden Boys’ statue of Boulton, Watt and Murdoch on Broad Street was removed from Broad Street. They are still conspicuous by their absence.
Since the announcement, several things have combined to keep the artworks out of the public eye. First, Centenary Square took 50 per cent more money and a year longer than planned to complete. And although the square was officially opened on July 3, 2019, it remains incomplete because Symphony Hall is rebuilding its foyer, work that could be completed later this year.
Meanwhile, Iron:Man’s return to the top of New Street has been further delayed since Birmingham won the right to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The council has announced plans for a £25 million regeneration of the city centre which would include repaving Victoria Square, and repairing the ‘Floozie in the Jacuzzi’ fountain, which has been dry since 2013. It is to “help create a gateway to the Commonwealth Games, providing a lasting legacy for Birmingham by creating a place that will enhance the city centre visitor experience, support retail business and a cleaner environment”.
Iron:Man was created to represent the traditional skills of Birmingham and Black Country workers.
It was cast at Firth Rixon Castings in Willenhall.
The sculpture was erected in March 1993, two months before Princess Diana opened the square on May 6, 1993.
His rusty appearance is deliberate – Antony Gormley used a type of iron which encourages oxidation to protect the metal.