This month, Sefton Council is celebrating the 20^th anniversary of Antony Gormley’s spectacular Another Place artwork on its Crosby Beach.

Permanent and striking

July 2005 saw the arrival of the 100, 6ft 2”, cast iron figures, nicknamed ‘The Iron Men’ by locals. They now stand as a permanent and striking installation along a two-mile stretch of coast from Waterloo to Blundellands, attracting millions of visitors worldwide.

To mark this important anniversary, Sefton Council is organising a touring display featuring stunning photographs taken over two decades by Crosby photographer Ron Davies.

‘Men for All Seasons’ will feature 20 of Davies’ landscape images that capture the internationally acclaimed artwork in all weather at Crosby.

Friends to millions of people

Sefton’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnership Engagement, Councillor Liz Dowd, said: “Our ‘Iron Men’ have become friends to millions of people over the years - including Sefton residents and many, many visitors who have made the pilgrimage to Crosby beach to pose alongside them.

“The exhibition will also give people a chance to learn about facts and trivia from the last 20 years, especially how people have taken them to their hearts - and how they have become part of popular culture.”

Over the past 20 years, the Iron Men have become intrinsically linked to Sefton’s communities and its visitors. The sculptures are regularly dressed up by members of the public, often for fun and sometimes to represent culture or celebration.

Part of the family

Fellow Sefton Cabinet Member and journalist, Councillor Peter Harvey, who was editor of newspapers including the Crosby Herald in 2005, said: “The Crosby Herald broke the exclusive story of plans for the ‘Iron Men of the Mersey’ not knowing how much influence they would have on the culture, identity, and personality of our area, or how much joy they would bring.

“The Iron Men were welcomed to Sefton as visitors - but today there is no doubt that Crosby beach is their home. They are part of the family.”

Perfect foreground

Crosby resident Ron Davies said: “I have visited Another Place hundreds, possibly thousands, of times over the last 20 years - and on each visit there is something new to capture.

“The Iron Men enrich the already beautiful Sefton coast making a perfect foreground against which to capture the wonders of nature. From sunrises and sunsets to brooding storms, snowscapes and even the Northern lights, every visit offers fresh opportunities for a photographer.

“Thanks to Sefton Council this exhibition will reflect how Gormley’s 100 sculptures have been Crosby and Sefton’s steadfast, weather-worn lookouts for over 20 years.”

The exhibition, which will also tell the 20-year story of Another Place, will tour Sefton including Crosby, Bootle and The Atkinson, Southport. More details on dates and times are due to be released soon.

A human space in space at large

Discussing his artwork in 2015, Antony Gormley said: "I always wanted this to be an open work. The sculptures that comprise Another Place are not statues of ideal or heroic figures from history, they are simply copies of my own body that I used to indicate a human space in space at large.

"What I couldn’t imagine was that Another Place would prove to be a resonator for the thoughts, feelings and hopes of so many people from Merseyside, the UK and the World.

“It is wonderful that it has found a place in the memory and imaginations of so many, from the solitary winter walker to the myriad summertime families, and that the barnacles have made it their watery home."

All photos by Ron Davies.

You can find out more about visiting Crosby beach and Sefton's beautiful coast here.