Page 37 - MYCONIAN COLLECTION MAG 2019

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WHEN AcclAIMED BrITISH sculptor Sir Antony Blazwick OBE of Whitechapel Gallery and Elina Kountouri,
Gormley was invited to bring his art to the historic island of Director of NEON.
Delos, he was quick to grasp how monumental such a move Fully integrated with their classical surroundings, 29 sculptures
CatChing would be. He felt “an amazing privilege and extraordinary created in the last twenty years have been placed amongst
responsibility”, to use his own words. He explains that he
the evocative ruins of this ancient sanctuary, including five
commissioned new works purpose-built and placed to converse
decided to use his artwork as “conductors, lightning rods for
Sight of DeloS the thoughts and feelings of visitors”. with the landscape. One of them, a lone figure from Gormley’s
Another Time, can be seen watchfully staring to the horizon
Today, the fruits of his labour have already been placed at
carefully selected open-air locations of the archaeological site
as well as the Delos Museum, repopulating a once prominent at the water’s edge, eyes meeting with the visitors arriving by
boat. Is the figure a long-dead resident, welcoming ancient
an unprecedented project sees the first new art on religious, political and trade centre that today enjoys UNEScO pilgrims, or perhaps a modern-day archaeologist eager to
World Heritage Site status. In direct conversation with
share new findings? Gormley explains that he wants “to
the sacred island of Delos for 5,000 years arrive courtesy ancient temples, statues and houses as well as the geology and create unique encounters that speak to the different character
of antony gormley’s award-winning creative sensitivity. geography of the island, Gormley’s iron “bodyforms” do not of each location”.
Accordingly, SIGHT was specially conceived to resonate with the
only take on the human shape that’s so familiar to followers
of his work but often transform into cubic and more abstract topography, buildings and statues of the island, which was once
forms, mirroring their ancient neighbours. a site of pilgrimage for people from across the Mediterranean.
The site-specific exhibition is titled SIGHT and spans from One sculpture, for instance, responds to the great open space
May to October 2019. It is organised and commissioned by of the Agora, while another mirrors rock formations of Mount
NEON – a non-profit organisation that works to broaden the Kynthos. Despite being less than 5km long and 1.5km wide,
appreciation, understanding and creation of contemporary art Delos bears a historical weight disproportionate to its size –
Amongst History and culture in Greece – in collaboration with the Ephorate of a rich past filled with myths, rituals, religions, politics, trade,
Antony Gormley, Another Time V, 2007. One of Gormley’s life-sized bodyforms confidently stands
in front of the evocative ruins of Delos – a ghost, a tourist or something else altogether? Antiquities of cyclades. SIGHT has been curated by Iwona multiculturalism and art.

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