We visited Crosby beach a few weeks ago, which was a good day out for the kids. They got to look for shells and mermaid purses in the sand and pools when the tide was out. We ended up walking (and running) a lot further than perhaps we would have on a regular beach, which I think was down to the fact that the beach is covered in statues.
'Another Place' by Anthony Gormley is a permanent feature at Crosby beach, and consists of 100 cast iron, life-sized sculptures of the artist. The installation is interesting because all the statues were cast from a single mould, yet the act of spreading them out along the coast has caused the tide, weather and other factors to change each of them in a different way.
They can be enjoyed if you are walking along the beach alone and decide to stand next to one to appreciate the view while trying to appreciate what it must be like watch the tide, or the sunrise and sunset from the same place, over and over again.
They can also be enjoyed as a family. We raced between them, hid behind them, explored the 'extras' that had been added to some of them, posed for photos next to them, and even had our favourites by the end of the day.
It is great to see that the statues have been interacted with by members of the public, and embraced as being a part of the landscape. This is a good example of the kind of public art project that Stephen Broadbent of Broadbent Studios discussed when I saw him give a talk; the only difference being that 'Another Place' was conceived, created, installed, then adopted; whereas, Stephen's method was to get the community involved and onboard from the start.
The statues at Crosby are part of what makes the place what it is. I'd like to think that the sculptures now wearing t-shirts were given to them by someone who thought they might be cold. I love the fact that these additions have been left as they are, and have not been removed by the local council or other authority. The art is the landscape, and the people are the place, and they combine to make Crosby what it is (at least from an outsider's point of view).
