Present Time
About this artwork
This sculpture is based on two moulds made from the artist's body. The solid form of the lower figure and the horizontal divisions in the lead casing emphasise its weight. Its closed form, like a mummified body, evokes feelings of imprisonment. In contrast, the upper half, with legs and arms outstretched, is free. While the upper half concerns our spiritual or mental state, the lower half represents our physical state: these states are connected yet divided. In this way, the sculpture reflects Gormley's interest in meditation and Buddhism.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Antony Gormley (born 1950) English
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title:Present Time
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date created:1987 - 1988
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materials:Lead fibreglass plaster and air
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measurements:342.00 x 192.00 x 35.00 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Purchased with assistance from the Henry Moore Foundation 1990
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accession number:GMA 3561
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gallery:
Antony Gormley
Antony Gormley
After taking a degree in archaeology, anthropology and art history at Cambridge University, Gormley spent three years in India studying Buddhism. On his return to London, he went to art school. Gormley is best known for his body casts; his first body casts in lead date from 1981. Over the last...