Getting to know Antony Gormley’s Body

In fact Antony Gormley, in his quest to explore the relation of the human body to space and moments in time has frequently used a cast of his own body as a starting point. (Wikipedia)

The hackles on the back of my neck started to rise once more as I thought back to the giant Scallop Shell desecrating the beach in Suffolk. What would a naked male body do to the beach? What would 100 naked male bodies do?

But the sculptures did cause some controversy and not only because they were of a naked man. The water sports enthusiasts complained for safety reasons - I imagine when the tide was in they had to slow their power jet skis down to negotiate around the Iron Man or should I say Iron Men - remember there are 100 and some are quite close together.

The conservationists also complained arguing that bird-feeding areas had been compromised by the increased tourist traffic- another reasonable concern.

In October 2006, the local council refused to give permission for the statues to stay, prompting Gormley to criticise what he called Britain's "risk-averse culture." He stated, "When I have been down on the beach myself, the majority of people have been intrigued, amused, sometimes very moved." The company Another Place Ltd was established to campaign for the figures' permanent installation and appealed the council's decision. (Wikipedia)

In March 2007, permission was granted for Another Place to remain at Crosby Beach permanently.The approved plan provided for 16 statues to be moved from contentious areas and decreased the installation's area from 232 to 195 hectares. (Wikipedia)

In the light of the arrival of the barnacles, I can inform you that in 2012 biologists from the University of Liverpool studied the colonisation of the statues by sessile intertidal organisms, such as invasive species of barnacles. (Wikipedia)

I think nature might win out on this one so I agree the bodies should stay and let nature have her way with them!