Not waving or drowning, Another Place is an installation of 100 life-sized iron statues strung along Crosby Beach near Liverpool. Created by Antony Gormley¹ and installed in July, 2005, the statues are all looking out to sea towards the horizon, symbolising the sadness and pain involved in emigration, of lost homes and distant homelands. Originally intended to move around the world, before they appeared in Crosby the statues had visited Cuxhaven in Germany, Stavanger in Norway and De Panne in Belgium. The towns and cities chosen to host the installation had all witnessed waves of immigration and emigration.

Construction and Installation

The statues are all rough casts of Antony Gormley's body and are 1.89 metres (6'2") from their feet to the top of their heads. However, the sand around their feet is frequently removed by the sea and wind, leaving the statues standing on their bases (which are three metres high) and so towering over most people. The iron the statues are made of had to be able to withstand one of the harshest environments in the UK and being submerged for long periods by both sea and sand. The statues and their bases weigh in total around 650kg (just over 100 stone).

They were installed along a 3.2km (two-mile) stretch of the beach, with some right up against the promenade and others several hundred metres out to sea. In the middle of 2007, a number of the statues were removed in order to protect a popular sailing area and the breeding grounds of certain species of birds, and it is anticipated they will return to the beach, albeit in different spots, in 2008.

Controversy

The statues have generated a lot of controversy, with public opinion split. Some people say the statues are beautiful, poignant and liven up a stretch of beach that sits in the shadow of the large nature reserves further up the coast. Others claim the installation is ugly, dangerous, and even pornographic (due to the simplified genitalia on the statues).

But it was concerns over safety of the statues that caused the most trouble. The beach is a popular spot for sailing, windsurfing and other watersports, and it was claimed that the statues created a serious hazard for the people involved in these sports. It was also pointed out that some people viewing the statues could be caught out by the swift tides and soft sand on the beach, causing more work for already busy coastguards.

The two opposing camps clashed frequently in the local media, with campaign groups being set up on both sides. In October 2006, Sefton Council's planning group ordered the statues to be removed, prompting uproar from locals, groups planning Liverpool's 2008 Capital of Culture events, and Antony Gormley himself. Appeals were made and battle continued until March, 2007 when the council met and decided the statues were there to stay, mostly because of the extra money tourism generated. Part of the deal was that some of the additional revenue would go into funding a new marina for the watersport enthusiasts, along with recompense for the local coastguard station.

Part of the Landscape

In spite of the controversy, most people seem to have taken to the new statues. One of the nicest occurrences is when people interact with the statues, adding coats, hats and other items, including kites. The installation has become part of a local church's nativity celebrations, with the Iron Men dressed up in various costumes as the procession goes along the beach.

The statues also provide a fixed point of reference in a constantly changing landscape. Watching the tides ebb and flow, or the waves crash against the Iron Men can be exhilarating. Finding them buried under shifting sands², or marooned high above the beach on their stands, adds to a unique experience. Even the time of day affects the mood, with the Iron Men at their most dramatic at sunrise and sunset, and at their most melancholic at night.

Other Places

Other versions of the iron casts have appeared in various places since Another Place was installed on Crosby beach. The most notable of these have been Time Horizon, where the statues were placed in a olive grove in Calabria in Southern Italy; and Event Horizon, in which 31 were placed on the edges of buildings in London, prompting numerous calls to emergency services from people thinking the statues were suicidal men and women.

And Finally

It is now generally agreed that Another Place is a real asset to Crosby beach and Antony Gormley himself has said the beach is the ideal setting for the artwork. The statues have brought hundreds of thousands of extra visitors to the beach, revitalising the local economy and helping with regeneration efforts. For those wishing to view the Iron Men, the Sefton Coastal Footpath runs along the beach and beyond, and also has details on how to get there and back.

Despite being destined to go to New York, the statues are now a permanent feature on Crosby beach, and there is a certain irony and beauty to this: among the millions who passed through Liverpool on their way to the New World, there were tens of thousands who arrived at the city, hoping to go, but settled down instead. Perhaps the statues now also look to the New World those people dreamed of but never saw.