On our way north from Liverpool, we had plenty of time as it was a short drive to our next destination, and Liam asked what I wanted to do.
- Can we go see the people on the beach?! I said excitedly. - I think it's somewhere near Liverpool?
- People ... on a beach? Liam said, confused.
- I mean statues! Many statues, on a beach. I've seen people's photos!
- You mean Crosby Beach, Liam said with a smile.
So to Crosby Beach we went!
We walked along the pavement for a while, looking at the statues from a distance.
It's a strange artwork, Another Place by Antony Gormley. 100 cast iron statues on a beach. I can imagine it instilling many different kinds of feelings in visitors. For me - someone who loves the sea and loves spending time in it - the statues look completely normal from a distance; it's just silhouettes of people standing in the sea. I do it myself, stand with water up to my waist, just gazing out at sea.
The ones giving me goosebumps though where the ones where only the head was visible above the water. They were too still, they seemed in danger. And they reminded me of the others - the statues that were even lower, that would only be visible when the tide is even lower - and that were now just waiting underneath the surface. Invisible to me, but visible to someone else, visiting at a different time.
Liam is 0% interested in walking in sand ("it just gets in everywhere!") so he stayed behind on the pavement and waited for me while I explored. :)
From a distance, they seemed mostly peaceful to me, but up close ...
... they were more gross than anything else! I had somehow expected them to be smooth? They are not smooth. They look decaying, too organic. And they have spooky eyes.
Still, a fascinating artwork, and I'm really glad we went.
Next up: the Lake District!
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