Alert, a six-metre-high stack of cantilevered steel blocks intended to resemble a squatting human figure, is scheduled to be installed in the university’s newly built Dangoor Plaza in South Kensington this summer. According to Gormley, the sculpture represents a figure “balancing on the balls of his feet while squatting on his haunches.” However, a motion launched by the Imperial College Union says the sculpture could “damage the image and reputation of the college” because of its “obvious” interpretation of a man exposing his erect penis. According to this interpretation, the motion adds, the phallus extends “about three meters horizontally,” about half the total height of the artwork. Photo: Imperial College Union “While the intended form of the artist may”[evoke our] scientific research community’ the phallic interpretation does not. The name Alert could also be understood to refer to the erection of the statue’s phallus,” the association said. They also claim that students were not consulted about the facility, which will serve as the centerpiece of an area used by students, staff and the public. They note that while there is “nothing inherently wrong with the phallic image in art”, engaging in phallic performance with the penis could be considered inappropriate for a large public display. One of the main concerns for the association was the “exclusive” phallic interpretation, when scientific research has hit on issues of gender ratio and inclusion. Official university statistics show that only 41.8% of full-time students at Imperial College were women in the 2020-2021 academic year. “The college’s publicity regarding the statue chose an angle that avoided making the statue appear phallic,” the motion added. “This suggests that this interpretation and reaction was not unanticipated by some individuals within the college.” Photo: Imperial College Union The sculpture was donated to Imperial College by alumnus Brahmal Vasudevan and his wife, Shanthi Kandiah. In a statement about the work on the university’s website, Gormley said he wanted to explore the correlation between humans and their environment. “Through the transformation of anatomy into an architectural construction, I want to reevaluate the relationship between body and space,” he said. “Balancing on the balls of his feet while squatting on his haunches and looking out at the world around him, the sculpture’s posture is alive, alert and alert.” Vasudevan said he shares the College’s “vision for a vibrant public space” and is “proud to have brought this iconic, world-class work of art” to the heart of campus. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST Speaking to Art newspaper, the postgraduate researcher at the university who submitted the proposal said he doubted it would affect the installation of the sculpture. “I don’t think this is something the college would withdraw or listen to students about,” he said. Gormley, whose previous works include the Angel of the North in Gateshead and Another Place on Crosby Beach near Liverpool, won the Turner Prize in 1994 and is one of Britain’s leading sculptors. But this is not the first time his work has sparked controversy: last year his sculptures in the seaside town of Aldeburgh, entitled Quartet (Sleeping), were found to be in breach of local planning laws and likened by locals to ‘sex toys’. A spokesman for Imperial College London said: “Sir Antony Gormley is one of the world’s leading living artists and we are grateful to be gifted with one of his iconic sculptures.”
