My terracotta ‘children’ go walkabout, says Gormley
Sculptor reveals a number of figures in his revived installation have gone missing from display
SIR ANTONY GORMLEY has revealed that some of the 40,000 terracotta figures in one of his landmark works were stolen, but described the thefts as “understandable”.
The sculptor revealed the thefts from Field for the British Isles as the artwork went back on show this week.
He created the piece, consisting of thousands of tiny figures made from brick clay, in 1993, with help from more than 100 volunteers.
Its installation at Firstsite in Colchester, Essex, this week required 30 people to spend four days putting the sculptures in place.
Sir Antony described the piece as a “call to conscience”, but admitted that its scale had enticed visitors to steal the clay pieces in the past.
He said: “I think some of these go walkabout, but that’s understandable.”
Each of the individual clay pieces is unique, according to the artist, who added: “There is not one that is like another.” Speaking at the opening of the installation, which will be on display for four months, the Turner Prize winner claimed it was impossible to pick a favourite out of the figures.
He said: “How can you? It’s a bit like asking a parent who their favourite child is.”
But he expressed frustration that only his name was being displayed in big letters around the piece.
The volunteers who helped create
Field for the British Isles from more than 50 tons of brick clay came from two secondary schools in St Helens, Merseyside.
Sir Antony said it was “rubbish” that only his name was next to the installation, as it had been a “collective” work. Gurkhas, students and members of a Bangladeshi women’s organisation helped install the piece at Firstsite. Offering an insight into the work, he said the figures “are looking at us and asking us, ‘What kind of world are you making? What are we doing?’”
The initial volunteers who made the sculpture were given one simple instruction, “hand-sized, stand up and have eyes”. Sally Shaw, the director of Firstsite, said: “It’s about community and being together and also about thousands and thousands of individual people.” She joked about visitors getting close up to the fragile piece, saying: “I am more worried about adults coming in. Children are very excited about it. They stop and lie down on the floor to be on a level with it. What I love about it is there are 40,000 figures and 40,000 children and young people living in Colchester. It’s an opportunity to visualise that community. It’s very powerful. I’d invite everyone to come.
“This is the kind of artwork that this gallery was made for.”
Antony Gormley: Field For The British Isles is on display at Firstsite, Colchester, until March 8 2020.