‘habitat’, 2010 all images courtesy of antony gormley

‘habitat’ is the first-ever permanent, U.S. public art commission for british artist antony gormley. permanently installed on the outdoor promenade at the anchorage museum at rasmuson center, alaska acting as an interface between the museum and the city.

the house-sized sculpture is constructed from 57 welded stainless steel boxes that are 1 cm thick. the 24 foot-tall, 37,000 pound sculpture takes the form of a crouching man.

antony gormley: habitat the 24-foot tall sculpture is meant to look like a crouching man from particular angles

facing south along avenue C, with its back  to avenue 6, when one approaches ‘habitat’ from the west side, they will see it in profile. however, for those traveling north-south on avenue c, the work will read as an abstract collection of boxes.

antony gormley: habitat transporting the sculpture to its resting site

the work is designed to respond to the changing light and temperature conditions of alaska, as well as offering shelter from the wind, snow and rain. its form applies the urban grid to the body, relating this constructed self to the wider context of anchorage. it is an introduction to the collections of ethnography and art in the museum, and  references the creation and development of the human habitat. it is also a meditation on the condition of urban man in relation to nature.

antony gormley: habitat

the sculpture is funded by the municipality’s 1 percent for art program, which has been selecting and installing artwork for anchorage’s municipal buildings and schools since 1978.

antony gormley: habitat

construction phase:

antony gormley: habitat construction phase – from one profile the arrangement of boxes looks abstract

antony gormley: habitat

antony gormley: habitat

antony gormley: habitat a worker welds one of the 57 stainless steel boxes together

antony gormley: habitat boxes waiting to be assembled

antony gormley: habitat boxes…

antony gormley: habitat

antony gormley: habitat making sure everything measures up…

antony gormley: habitat transporting ‘habitat’

antony gormley: habitat