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Solid gold Moss statue revealed | Solid gold Moss statue revealed |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A 50kg solid gold statue of model Kate Moss has been unveiled at the British Museum, in London. | A 50kg solid gold statue of model Kate Moss has been unveiled at the British Museum, in London. |
The £1.5m sculpture, entitled Siren, is by artist Marc Quinn and is one of several contemporary sculptures in the exhibition Statuephilia. | The £1.5m sculpture, entitled Siren, is by artist Marc Quinn and is one of several contemporary sculptures in the exhibition Statuephilia. |
Each work has been sited in a different gallery within the museum, placed with items from its permanent collection. | Each work has been sited in a different gallery within the museum, placed with items from its permanent collection. |
Quinn's sculpture is said to be the largest gold statue created since the time of Ancient Egypt. | Quinn's sculpture is said to be the largest gold statue created since the time of Ancient Egypt. |
'Ideal beauty' | 'Ideal beauty' |
Described by the museum as an "Aphrodite of our times", it sits in the Museum's Nereid Gallery, alongside its statues of famous Greek beauties. | Described by the museum as an "Aphrodite of our times", it sits in the Museum's Nereid Gallery, alongside its statues of famous Greek beauties. |
Quinn, whose most famous work was Alison Lapper Pregnant, has said of using Moss as a subject: "I thought the next thing to do would be to make a sculpture of the person who's the ideal beauty of the moment. | Quinn, whose most famous work was Alison Lapper Pregnant, has said of using Moss as a subject: "I thought the next thing to do would be to make a sculpture of the person who's the ideal beauty of the moment. |
The museum hopes it will remind visitors of its diverse collection"But even Kate Moss doesn't live up to the image." | |
Other artists in the exhibition include Damien Hirst and Antony Gormley. | Other artists in the exhibition include Damien Hirst and Antony Gormley. |
Hirst has addressed his fascination with death by filling the historic wall cases of the Enlightenment Gallery with 200 specially created skulls. | Hirst has addressed his fascination with death by filling the historic wall cases of the Enlightenment Gallery with 200 specially created skulls. |
Nine-metre wingspan | Nine-metre wingspan |
Gormley's Case for an Angel I will fills the entire front hall of the museum. | Gormley's Case for an Angel I will fills the entire front hall of the museum. |
The work - a precursor to his celebrated public sculpture, Angel of the North - is raised high on a plinth. It boasts a nine-metre wingspan. | The work - a precursor to his celebrated public sculpture, Angel of the North - is raised high on a plinth. It boasts a nine-metre wingspan. |
Ron Mueck's Mask II, a self-portrait of the artist sleeping, is in the heart of the Living and Dying: Wellcome Trust Gallery with the museum's monumental Maoi. | Ron Mueck's Mask II, a self-portrait of the artist sleeping, is in the heart of the Living and Dying: Wellcome Trust Gallery with the museum's monumental Maoi. |
British Museum modern collections co-ordinator Philip Attwood said: "Perhaps because the British Museum is often celebrated as a museum of antiquities, it is not always realised that its collections also include a broad range of contemporary works from around the world." | British Museum modern collections co-ordinator Philip Attwood said: "Perhaps because the British Museum is often celebrated as a museum of antiquities, it is not always realised that its collections also include a broad range of contemporary works from around the world." |
Statuephilia: Contemporary Sculptors at the British Museum is open to the public from Saturday until 25 January. | Statuephilia: Contemporary Sculptors at the British Museum is open to the public from Saturday until 25 January. |