SCULPTURE BY ANTHONY GORMLEY
LIKE ME BROWN THOMAS DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ENJOYING THE RAIN - SCULPTURE BY ANTHONY GORMLEY
Together and Apart by Antony Gormley Is Known Locally As Brown Thomas
Situated in the Central Plaza of the campus, this work brings Antony Gormley’s exploration of the human body as an architectural and spatial vessel into a high-density student thoroughfare.
Material & Scale: Cast in solid iron, weighing approximately 700 kg, and standing roughly life-sized (189 × 48 × 24 cm).
Composition: Derived from Gormley’s own body casts, the solitary iron figure stands grounded without an elevated pedestal, directly occupying the pedestrian plane.
Context: By placing a heavy, brooding industrial figure amidst the flow of daily campus pedestrian traffic, the piece explores themes of collective community versus internal solitude—embodying being both together within a crowd and psychologically apart.
The Nickname: When the raw, solid-iron cast figure was unveiled, the oxidation of the untreated iron quickly weathered into a rich, dark rusty-brown patina. Limerick's student body immediately christened the solitary, naked iron man "Brown Thomas"—a playful pun on the department store chain.
Campus Life: Standing directly on the pavement without a plinth or barrier, the statue is a regular meeting landmark. Over the years it has served as an unofficial mannequin for student pranks, frequently seen wearing high-vis vests, scarves, Santa hats, or student union campaign t-shirts during rag weeks and orientation.
Together and Apart by Antony Gormley Is Known Locally As Brown Thomas
Situated in the Central Plaza of the campus, this work brings Antony Gormley’s exploration of the human body as an architectural and spatial vessel into a high-density student thoroughfare.
Material & Scale: Cast in solid iron, weighing approximately 700 kg, and standing roughly life-sized (189 × 48 × 24 cm).
Composition: Derived from Gormley’s own body casts, the solitary iron figure stands grounded without an elevated pedestal, directly occupying the pedestrian plane.
Context: By placing a heavy, brooding industrial figure amidst the flow of daily campus pedestrian traffic, the piece explores themes of collective community versus internal solitude—embodying being both together within a crowd and psychologically apart.
The Nickname: When the raw, solid-iron cast figure was unveiled, the oxidation of the untreated iron quickly weathered into a rich, dark rusty-brown patina. Limerick's student body immediately christened the solitary, naked iron man "Brown Thomas"—a playful pun on the department store chain.
Campus Life: Standing directly on the pavement without a plinth or barrier, the statue is a regular meeting landmark. Over the years it has served as an unofficial mannequin for student pranks, frequently seen wearing high-vis vests, scarves, Santa hats, or student union campaign t-shirts during rag weeks and orientation.