Installing Ancestor

Images of preparators moving the sculpture

Preparators move Seymour Lipton’s Ancestor to a cozy spot in front of the Phillips. Photos: Amy Wike

Yesterday, the weather cooperated and the sun peeked out as preparators spent the morning installing Seymour Lipton’s Ancestor (1958) in front of the original Phillips house.

Images of Phillips staff installing the sculpture

Preparators Bill Koberg and Alec MacKaye rotate the statue to test out a few angles, while Director Dorothy Kosinski provides input. Photos: Amy Wike

Images of the sculpture installed

Installed! Seymour Lipton, Ancestor, 1958. Nickel-silver on monel metal, 87 x 19 1/2 x 32 in. The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C. Acquired 1964. Photos: Amy Wike

Bodies in Space

When Antony Gormley: Drawing Space opens at the Phillips on June 2, it joins an international roster of current shows of the artist’s work. A couple weeks ago, Vessel opened at Galleria Continua in San Gimignano, Italy. Just days before, Horizon Field Hamburg had opened at Deichtorhallen Hamburg. Antony Gormley said that Horizon Field was developed “always with the idea that we wanted to make an instrument that would allow people a way to experience themselves, their bodies in space, as well as the architecture, in a new way.” This statement resonates with much of his work, including the drawings we’ll show at the Phillips this summer. Hear more about his thought process in this brief video:

So what is Horizon Field? And what does it look like? Deichtorhallen has shared a video and slideshow documenting this massive project’s construction. But it’s the experience that counts, so we’re excited that visitors have posted photos and videos of the space, and their responses to it, on the project blog and will continue to do so (we hope!) until the installation closes September 9.