It’s time to #lookup as Antony Gormley’s ‘Places to Be’ is back – but this time on Peterborough’s skyline.
One of our favourite sculptures has returned to Peterborough in spectacular style.
Incredibly it was thirty years ago that sculptor Antony Gormley was commissioned to produce ‘Places to Be’ for the city – three life-sized lead statues.
Vivacity has now brought them back after repair and has proudly installed the three figures on the rooftops of Queensgate Shopping Centre, Leeds Building Society and Norwich Building Society.
Antony Gormley, famous for creating the iconic Angel of the North was at the launch at St Johns Church and said: “Places to Be was my first public commission. It is wonderful that it is being re-sited on a striking modern horizontal parapet, a Victorian corner tower, and the 18th century roof line around the Market Square in the centre of Peterborough. I am very proud of this work and am delighted that with Vivacity’s help it will again be part of the collective life of the town.”
It’s hoped the sculptures will be a real talking point for local people but also attract more visitors to the city centre.
”Human spaces detached from the common ground and placed on the skyline hopefully encourage a wider view,” added Antony.
“The central square of Peterborough has a wide range of buildings from different periods of history, in different architectural styles to fulfil different functions.
“Places to Be celebrates this diversity while at the same time encouraging people to be aware of texture, material and scale diversity of the built world around them. Human beings have always constructed shelters: places to dwell under an open sky while simultaneously being drawn to explore far horizons.”
Mark Broadhead, Centre Director at Queensgate Shopping Centre which has one of the figures striding across its rooftop says: “We are honoured to have been part of this historic event for Peterborough that will be enjoyed for many years to come. Queensgate remains committed to actively supporting the arts and heritage of the city, especially in the 900th year celebrations.”
Many will remember the figures being displayed outside Greenwoods solicitors in the city centre for a time and also in an exhibition at the City Gallery in Priestgate, the Cathedral and of course in the sculpture park at the Peterborough Rowing Lake, but now they are once again a major attraction.
Antony is delighted to have his work on show here once again – “I hope that the re-introduction of these works will provide an imaginative dimension to the continued life of the centre of this ancient city and encourages its citizens to look up and enjoy the varied skyline and the ever-changing qualities of light and weather.”
This project is just one of many activities that Vivacity will be presenting during 2018, supporting Peterborough Celebrates (900 years) and promoting the development and profile of the Arts within Peterborough.
Kevin Tighe, Vivacity’s CEO says: “Antony Gormley’s iconic work is thought-provoking, inspiring, and internationally acclaimed and I strongly believe that this project will make great strides towards realising our mission of raising the profile for Art and Culture for Peterborough.”
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