Antony Gormley And The Empty Chair

New British Library Sculpture Unveiled To Highlight ‘English Pen’

The British Sculptor Antony Gormley has unveiled an important commissioned work, outside of the British Library in London to commemorate imprisoned writers. Gormley stated; “This is a place of witness, cast in massive iron that will simply rest, isolated, for anyone or no one to occupy.”

The Turner Prize winning artist, who is best known for his ‘Angel Of The North’  installed the sculpture titled “Witness”, as a permanent exhibition  to mark the 90th anniversary of the organisation ‘English Pen’, which promotes the freedom to write and read. The depiction of an empty chair is the symbol used by English Pen to represent imprisoned writers, for over 30 years. The Library forecourt also displays another example of Gormley’s work and a sculpture titled ‘Newton’ by the Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, best known as the designer of the mosaics at Tottenham Court Road tube station.

Dame Lynne Brindley, chief executive of the British Library, said: “We are delighted to be chosen as the permanent home for this new work by Antony Gormley, and one that supports such an important organisation. The British Library admires the support that English PEN gives writers all over the world and is pleased to be involved in such a poignant project.”

Antony Gormley OBE, RA born 1950 is a sculptor. His best known works include the Angel of the North, a public sculpture in Gateshead England  erected in February 1998, and Another Place on Crosby Beach near Liverpool. Almost all of his work takes the human body with his own body used in many works as the basis for metal casts.

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