Antony Gormley's latest exhibition, blind light, opened last week at the Hayward. I could help but noticing that the opening day was Ascension day. I think that this is deliberate and may offer an insight into the piec. Gormley was brought up in a Christian home and in a Channel 4 documentary about the piece a few weeks ago he mentioned how appreciative of this he was.
The account of the ascension in Acts talks about a cloud descending onto Christ and then Christ is taken from their sight. Cloud's with the bible are symbolic of God's presence - mount Sinai is shrouded in cloud whilst the Israelites are waiting for the 10 commandments, they follow a cloud in the desert - perhaps Gormley's cloud is symbolic of God's presence in the city?
I also noted that he has placed life size figures around the roof tops of the buildings close to the Hayward. When i went to see Another Place on Sefton Beach it struck me that the figures seemed to be waiting for something...i wonder therefore whether these figures around blind light are waiting? Waiting as the disciples waited for the spirit at Pentecost.
or...it's just a box with dry ice in it.
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