British sculptor Sir Antony Gormley explores the relationships between our bodies and the world around us—and even our place in the universe. Through his work, whether in traditional settings, installations, or in public artwork, the artist focuses on the human form with varying approaches. Towering figures like “Exposure” are hunched over in contemplation in the Netherlands. Or in more controlled environments, like galleries across the world, lifesize figures like those depicted in “Domain Field” are scattered across the space.
In a 2015 artist statement, Gormley expounds on his exploration of the human form: “Over the years, my obsession has been to try to explore the body as a place rather than simply as an object and to reconcile its space with space at large. I want to acknowledge that while we live within a built environment and we are the only animal to construct a habitat using Euclidean principles, the moment we close our eyes and become conscious of the darkness of the body, we are in an unbounded, ever extending space without dimension. This intimate zone of experience has the same unlimited properties as the sky at night.”
Gormley, who won the Turner Prize in 1994, and he’s been a Royal Academician since 2003.
South African artist Mary Sibande explores race, history, gender, and other social themes, her visceral mixed-media figures constructed from fiberglass, cotton, resin, and other materials. She uses a sculptural representation of herself, Sophie, to also look at her own family’s generational narrative. Her practice also includes photography, integrating the themes of her sculptures and installations.
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