The story of Antony Gormley, a British sculptor, contributes to my understanding of art and its importance in the modern world. When he was a child, he took a half-hour rest after his lunch, which helped him think about the phenomenon of the human body as a space or a place, not an ordinary object (“Antony Gormley Answers”). He was inspired by the desire to recognize the connection between living experiences, forms, and, maybe, spiritual powers of human beings. Thus, he defined art as the catalysis that reveals what it means to be alive (“Antony Gormley Answers”). On the one hand, it seems that Gormley follows the same way of understanding art as a creative process. On the other hand, his awareness of sculpturing strengthens the definition of art in this discussion.

One of the most interesting parts of his monologue is his attention to the connections that fulfill human lives. People should use their “knowledge of the relationships between bone, muscle, and skin” to create sculptures (“Antony Gormley Answers”). His goal is to underline the difference between a human body as a thing and as energy. I think Gormley’s intention is to show that people can do many things even under the most unfavorable conditions. He says about a chance for people to learn and increase awareness even being in the darkness (“Antony Gormley Answers”). Art aims at motivating and supporting individuals in their endeavors and steps to improve and develop this world. His position is clear, and art is a mode characterized by creativity and unpredictability of human imagination. Although I am confused about some aspects of his discussion, like education in the darkness or the child’s ability to discuss the mystery of the universe, I want to believe that art enhances human abilities in ways we cannot predict.

“Antony Gormley Answers: What Is Art?”, SFMOMA.