ANTONY GORMLEY

One of the most celebrated and talked about artists of his generation, Turner Prize-winner Antony Gormley (b. 1950) generates lively debate and critical acclaim. His large-scale, iconic projects such as "Angel of the North at Gateshead," the 100 cast-iron sculptures he placed on a British beach for "Another Place," and the hundreds of small terracotta figurines he asked the public to create for "Field" have cemented his place among today's leading contemporary artists. A consummate showman, Gormley has sought a broad stage and often collaborative audience for his work over the years. In this survey of the artist's work, Martin Caiger-Smith examines Gormley's influences and assesses his relationship to minimalism, "arte povera," land and environmental art, and his response to the challenge of engaging with figurative sculpture at the beginning of the twenty-first century. With over 100 color illustrations, this is the perfect introduction to a widely respected contemporary artist.

Few contemporary artists have enjoyed the popular acclaim and critical profile that Antony Gormley has gained in recent years. His work generates lively debate, connecting readily with subjects of pressing and widespread concern. Perhaps more than any other contemporary artist he has succeeded in taking his work beyond the gallery to engage the public in previously untried settings. Large-scale, iconic projects such as the 20 metre high Angel of the North at Gateshead, the 100 cast-iron sculptures in the sea off Crosby Beach that is Another Place and the hundreds of small, terracotta figurines crafted by members of the public in different locations around the world that comprised Field, have all made him one of the most celebrated and talked about artists of his generation. Gormley is a showman, and his art over the years has been a sustained performance that has sought a large stage and a broad, often collaborative audience. He is also a lucid and persuasive interpreter of his own projects; his allusions and inspirations run far and wide across history and cultures. The author sets Gormley's art in its historical context, exploring his relationship to minimalism, arte povera, land and environmental art, as well as the challenge of engaging with figurative sculpture at the beginning of the 21st century. Casts of his own body have been a central part of Gormley's output over the past three decades; recent exhibitions have seen him moving in new and unexpected directions. With a survey of Gormley's entire career, an in-depth analysis of six key works and over 100 colour illustrations, this is the ideal introduction to the work of one of the most popular and engaging artists at work today.