I Miss Antony V

6 Times is a landmark sculptural project by celebrated British artist Antony Gormley. The work consists of six life-sized figures positioned at six points across Edinburgh, from the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art to the sea, by way of the Water of Leith.

Antony V big

Figure V, in the water at Bonnington, is usually visible from the road and on my regular walk from home to swimming (at Leith Victoria Swim Centre not in the Water of Leith!) I like to give him a passing nod. However, of late he’s not been there.

Last week I attended the Friends of National Galleries of Scotland Annual Meeting and afterwards was fortunate enough to get chatting with John Leighton, Director of NGS. I seized my opportunity to find out about my missing friend.

I’m told that he’s still in the water but lying down rather than standing up and as such is fully submerged. There’s a safety device which ‘kicks-in’ when the flow rate in the Water of Leith is exceptionally high. The resurrecting procedure involves a crane and men in diving gear but the good news is that will be happening within the next few weeks.

I’m looking forward to welcoming him back.

1 Comment

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Evie Miloreply
October 21, 2011 at 1:43 pm

This is a test comment from me…

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