What is a Gormley and what are Gormleys for?
Etymology
1. There are many people who would readily answer to the name of GORMLEY
2. Only one of these is the sculptor ANTONY GORMLEY
3. Superficial Etymological Delvings:
The GORM of Gormley is also in GORMless (dull-witted; Sheffieldish and elsewhere) and GORMenghast (Peake).
Gormleys
1.Gormleys are body casts, often in gently oxidising metal, dispersed about the world. Lonely Australian salt flats have played host to them, as has the sea’s edge on the coast of Northumberland, and parapets of relatively tall buildings in London.
2.Relatively undistinguished singly, they make a terrific splash when well sited.
3.How are these Gormleys related to the sculptor Antony Gormley?
Not at all, in so far as they are not alive. Very much so, in so far as they are said to be the actual body casts of the sculptor Antony Gormley.
Gormleys currently on view
You can find them currently climbing gallery walls, with a chilling degree of insouciance, at London’s Royal Academy in an exhibition entitled Antony Gormley, which runs until 3 December.
The ARTlicker 