WHAT? Antony Gormley: Body Politic

WHERE?  White Cube Bermondsey, 144-152 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3TQ

WHEN? Now until 28th January 2024  Free to visit 

WHY GO? To feel the force! Yes, there are piles of bricks, but these are not just ANY bricks. These creatively constructed bricks represent how Gormley sees the state of the world right now as he encourages us to “go beyond and behind appearances and find our own pathway”.  

A labyrinth of fired clay bricks, arranged to look like bodies, is the focus of Gormley’s radical new exhibition and invites us to think about displacement, especially poignant right now with so much resistance to issues of migration.

This is a powerful show, featuring as always bodies (morphed from his own tall angular stature) but is far more provocative than any of his previous exhibitions.

Through dynamic feats of engineering, he’s created an angular steel pole that could be interpreted as a crucifix, and even more unsettling, a row of concrete bunkers that resemble varying body postures and set the dystopian scene.  Gormley’s highly conceptual show swings between imagining prison and sanctuary.

Maybe not the merriest of Christmas art viewing but certainly one, upon which, deep thinkers can reflect!

IN THE KNOW Check White Cube’s online book shop for gifting art lovers.

The accompanying Gormley book, Body Politic (2023) at £30 is one for meditative friends while Gilbert & George’s witty Rubik’s cube (2023) at just £15 is sure to raise a laugh at after dinner Christmas drinks.