Michael_Ingram
gone but not forgotten
Has Antony Gormley's Iron: Man, originally in Victoria Square be relocated yet; if so where?
Please tell us more as I recall the Angel of the North having feet.The feet being buried was intentional as is the angel of the north.
It does seem to have feet on pictures.Please tell us more as I recall the Angel of the North having feet.
My error, I dived in with both feet and got it wrong, apologies.Please tell us more as I recall the Angel of the North having feet.
No problemMy error, I dived in with both feet and got it wrong, apologies.
No, you're not completely wrong!My error, I dived in with both feet and got it wrong, apologies.
I seem to remember when it was first installed, that the 'Iron man' was to look as if if he was escaping from or shooting out from the ground below. I like it as a piece of work and how it reflects the past iron trades of this area.Could someone who might be passing by the newly reinstalled Iron Man please take a look and tell me something, as I'm no longer local?
I had never previously walked past him without feeling sadness at his restrained feet in their deeper prison, there shackled to a buried plinth and encased up to his ankles to keep him immobile.
BCC declined to answer my requests for an explanation of whether this might be the Artist's vision; a committee's belt-and-braces approach to H&S so that it should not fall on to a passing pedestrian; or simply the crane-jockey's best aim?
Clearly the structural plinth to take his boots' bolts was installed noticeably below ground level and canted, yet surely - and morally - he should be standing atop the ground as a proud resident, not deliberately entrapped, a sad creature only fit for the mockery or pity of bystanders. He is entitled to nothing less.
As the installation photos clearly show, there is a very fine pair of sturdy feet that nobody has yet been able to see, equipped with an overkill of mounting studs/bolts. So maybe the siting of the plinth/anchor was a Friday-afternoon job and George said to 'Arry "Anywhere in the ol' 'ole will be bostin', our kid!" and three minutes later they had knocked off and were already half way to a first pint.
So, this time?
Hopefully this time he is not once more an unwilling prisoner, again wickedly shackled to a buried plinth and encased awkwardly up to his ankles. This time let his exquisitely crafted feet be seen as he stands upon the good Birmingham ground as a Citizen of a fine City, not be entrapped by them unseen within it!
But if once again he is, then is anyone up for a trip to the Angel Of The North with me to burn-out some shoulder and elbow fillets and fold the Angel's wings in because they block some scenery?
What ... stupid?
Pre-sodding-cisely!
So, c'mon BCC ... if so, an explanation please for OUR Gormley being an integral foot shorter (actually, two feet!), or just do what you know you should and put it right, end his sad plight.
TQ
Interestingly then it seems there is a story about the feet on the Birmingham Iron Man. I popped into town today to have a look at the finished job.My error, I dived in with both feet and got it wrong, apologies.
I agree, I think this sculpture speaks or itself without other additions or interpretations added by others.They showed the Iron Man being put back into place on the local news last night. Pity that's the last that we will see of his feet, in my opinion.
Has the 'Iron Man' got feet? Any pictures of him before he was lowered onto the plinth below ground level?They showed the Iron Man being put back into place on the local news last night. Pity that's the last that we will see of his feet, in my opinion.
The story I have is Gormley sanctioned title is Iron:Man and it does have feet. Unfortunate, the council had a committee meeting, and as usual, everyone and the dog wanted to include their bit too. Not unusual in council meeting. So we now have buried feet and the two directional lean.Apparently the Gormley sanctioned title is Iron:Man - good luck with that. I've always assumed that his feet are buried to prevent him walking off to the scrap yard.I've never found an explanation for the lean though. (7.5° backwards and 5° to its left). Anyone enlighten us? Gormley's other works stand upright.
Sculptor is the word. He is a famous artist and like many such people appears not to have an easily accessible way of contact. (Some recent work has been controversial too. If you spend all your time e-mail you don't get any work done either.)ahmmmm - I'm wondering if anybody has thought to ask the sculptist (is that a word?)..........what he had in mind when he first did the iron man?
Like many working class boys I learned how to weld or braze better than this at school and we would have avoided the rust by an oil quench or regular black leading. But it was made at Bradley and Fosters Castings Willenhall, so the appearance must have been deliberate.It is said by the sculptor to represent the traditional skills of Birmingham and the Black Country practised during the Industrial Revolution.
Not sure why ot leans nor why the feet are buried.