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Tony Grist

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The Angel Of The North [May. 18th, 2008|09:43 am]
Tony Grist
On our way down from the Wall we took a very short, curly detour to have a closer look at The Angel of the North. Gormley's a limited artist; he has had one or two great ideas- a bit like Henry Moore- and has worked at them and worked at them- and the Angel is the climax of his life's work- the greatest piece of public sculpture of the age- actually more than that- the work that has revived the worn-out genre of public sculpture and made it exciting and challenging again. Now every region of Britain wants something similar.

It stands on a hillock on the edge of a Gateshead council estrate overlooking the road. As you drive north you see it rising above the low roofs and the lamp posts to greet you. Get close and it's huge. 



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Comments:
[User Picture]From: ibid
2008-05-18 09:59 am (UTC)
That's a beautiful siluette (?spelling).

Thanks for the photos. My Dad grew up round Hexham but we've never really looked much round the area to my dismay.
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[User Picture]From: poliphilo
2008-05-18 10:56 am (UTC)
This was my first visit to the North East (apart from a day trip to Durham about 20 years ago) and I really, really want to go back. It's a fabulous part of the country.
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[User Picture]From: haikujaguar
2008-05-18 11:03 am (UTC)
!
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[User Picture]From: poliphilo
2008-05-18 11:09 am (UTC)
It's fabulous, isn't it? It's only been up a few years but it's already a national icon.
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[User Picture]From: haikujaguar
2008-05-18 11:30 am (UTC)
It's truly amazing!
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[User Picture]From: solar_diablo
2008-05-18 02:29 pm (UTC)
My first impression was that it evokes Christian, pagan, industrial, and World War II themes. A summary of British history in a single piece of sculpture. Now to google more images of it.
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[User Picture]From: poliphilo
2008-05-18 03:10 pm (UTC)
I think you're bang on the money there. There are other images of it on the final page of my Scrapbook.
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[User Picture]From: solar_diablo
2008-05-18 04:08 pm (UTC)
Looking at it closer reinforces my opinion about the pagan element. Those ridges remind me of a wickerman. Pretty impressive piece all around.
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[User Picture]From: poliphilo
2008-05-18 06:57 pm (UTC)
Indeed. Gormley has a genius for placing extraordinary things in the landscape.
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[User Picture]From: jackiejj
2008-05-22 07:47 pm (UTC)
Is your Scrapbook online?
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[User Picture]From: poliphilo
2008-05-22 08:05 pm (UTC)
It's my LJ Scrapbook. It's accessible through my Userinfo page. There are well over 1000 pictures there, arranged in galleries.
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[User Picture]From: mummm
2008-05-18 05:02 pm (UTC)
Wow! I'll have to look at the other images in your scrapbook.
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[User Picture]From: poliphilo
2008-05-18 06:58 pm (UTC)
I take a lot of photos. Only a few ever make it into the body of the blog.
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[User Picture]From: mummm
2008-05-18 07:03 pm (UTC)
I know, and I do go into your scrapbook to look because you go so many interesting places and write so well about them.
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[User Picture]From: poliphilo
2008-05-22 08:05 pm (UTC)
Thanks.
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From: ext_100436
2008-05-18 06:22 pm (UTC)
I'd love to see that in person; it's a spectacular landmark.
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[User Picture]From: poliphilo
2008-05-18 06:59 pm (UTC)
I was unsure of my feelings until I actually saw it in situ. Now I'm a believer.
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