On a journey back to Edinburgh from Wales, we took a detour to visit Crosby beach, home to Antony Gormley's famous figurative sculptures known as 'Another Place'. The last time I was here, in December 2011, it was blowing a gale, making it difficult to stand up straight. So it was nice that this time the weather was calmer, and we could walk down the beach for a while.
I think it's amazing these sculptures have stood vertically for so long, given that sand is mobile and they face the pressure of the tide every day (many of them are fully submerged when the tide is in). They were installed in 2005 - on a temporary basis - and it was decided in 2007 that they should remain permanently on the beach. I'm sure they've drawn a lot of visitors to the area in that time who might not have gone there otherwise.
Personally, I love this artwork, though I find it hard to put in to words the reasons why. It's something about the lone figure, facing out to sea, standing firm against the elements thrown at it. The permanent gaze towards a distant horizon. The stance of the figure - not guarded against the tide, but accepting its fate with a meditative resilience. The way they disappear every time the tide approaches, and then reappear when it recedes - as if they have just been holding their breath. And the way they visually punctuate the expansive space of this great beach.
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