A complex array of brick creates … solitary figures in both simple and impactful poses … drawings from which meaning emerges through the interplay of light, shadow, and deeper darkness… The current exhibition at Galleria Continua Beijing delves into human existence in relation to our constructed surroundings, exploring how we perceive and reinterpret our understandings of one another.
The Artist
You might not recognize his name, but you're likely familiar with his work. Esteemed in the contemporary sculpture realm, British artist Antony Gormley focuses on the human form through his sculptures and large-scale public installations that examine the body's connection to space and environment. One of his most renowned creations, “Another Place,” is a permanent site of 100 life-size iron figures (cast from models of Gormley’s body) distributed along a stretch of coastline at Crosby Beach in Merseyside, England. Installed in 1997, these statues are left to experience the natural effects of time, tide, and weather, gazing out in silent reflection on the horizon.
The Work
In “Body Buildings,” Gormley “examines our species’ connection to the constructed environment in an increasingly vertical world from which we rarely escape.” By using clay and iron—common materials in architecture—he magnifies and crystallizes the psychological and emotional experiences from a human perspective.
Resting Place II features 132 individual life-sized “bodies” made from large, reddish fired clay bricks arranged on the floor in the gallery’s spacious main area, inviting the public to navigate the paths between them. These brick forms form clear links between structures and the human body as a shelter. Gormley describes the exhibit as referencing two distinct forms of abandonment: the serene surrender of the body on the beach, a place of childhood play and relaxation, and that of the migrant, who has sought a new home either by choice or force. Viewed from a distance, the shapes coalesce into a vision of a cityscape; up close, each figure reveals human traits—hauntingly familiar expressions of relaxation, joy, tedium, pain, or solitude.
The substantial, stacked cast-iron blocks of Ally unite two bodies into a single, silent mass, with the individual blocks appearing both precariously balanced yet stable in their arrangement. With Circuit, we are encouraged to reflect on the circulatory nature of infrastructure and its effects on urban life as well as human connections.
Shame and Short take the entangled, curving lines of Circuit and position them upright, though slightly bent—emphasizing the tension and balance of these bending figures.
Rule III and Buttress each condense the iron interlacing of earlier works into an almost waffle-like representation of disintegrating human forms leaning against the gallery walls, drawing attention to the physical nature of existence and our interaction with built environments.
However, Gormley’s work extends beyond sculpture. Featured in this exhibition is a collection of drawings—created with inkcap, carbon, and casein on paper— that achieve striking emotional depth through the manipulation of light and dark values. Personally, I found Gormley’s drawings the most engaging—they truly stand out. The subjects are bold in their portrayal, with the deep black simultaneously representing a void and a profoundly radiant darkness.
Visiting the Exhibition
“Body Buildings” marks Gormley’s third solo exhibition at Galleria Continua Beijing, following “Another Singularity” in 2009 and “Host” in 2016. This exhibit provides a concise yet intriguing glimpse into the artist’s work, serving as a fine introduction for those unfamiliar with Gormley. I spent about half an hour exploring the exhibition, and if you are in the 798 Arts District, it’s definitely worth a quick visit. The exhibition is free and runs until April 14, 2025.
Galleria Continua 常青画廊798 Dashanzi Art District, 2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District朝阳区酒仙桥路2号798大山子艺术区
Hours: Tue-Sun 11am-6pm (closed Mon)
Phone: 010 5978 9505
Images: Abigail Weathers, Oak Taylor-Smith, Chris Howells
The renowned British artist Antony Gormley's work makes its return to Beijing.
