Lagoon

Lagoon by Sir Anthony Caro
Figure 1: Lagoon by Sir Anthony Caro
Figure 2: Lagoon in summer 2022
SIR ANTHONY CARO

Lagoon

Lagoon was created by Sir Anthony Caro, who is considered one of the world’s greatest sculptor. Caro’s constant desire for experimentation and research is what distinguishes his work as a sculptor. Due to Caro’s reputation and widespread recognition for his work, information on this artwork is more readily available. The sculpture is located in Key Theatre (forecourt), Embankment Road, Peterborough PE1 1EF. Those who have lived in Peterborough for the past three decades may recall that the construction was first set up outside Stuart House in 1984, then moved to Thorpe Meadows1.

Lagoon is made from mild steel and stands just over two metres high. The sculpture is constructed with large-scale interlocked industrial forms – bolted and welded together to create different shapes and shadows in space. Anthony Caro’s sculptures often sit directly on the ground, rather than on a plinth, inviting the viewer to approach and interact with the sculpture from all sides. Mounted onto the pavement, Lagoon invites you to look under, through and around it, exploring the different angles and viewpoints. Anthony Caro made a number of works using rusting steel, a material that continues to change over time as the weather affects the sculpture’s surface2.

The sculpture was commissioned in 1976 before being purchased by the Peterborough Development Corporation in 1984. Lagoon was put up for auction in London on March 9th after no buyers matched a reserve price of £100,000 to £150,0003, it was brought back to Peterborough went into storage4.

In 2013, Sir Anthony Caro who was recognised as one of the top artists of his period and had works in museum collections throughout the world. Caro passed away after a sudden heart attack at age 89. Sir Nicholas Serota, director of the Tate, praised Caro as “a man of great humility and humanity” after his artwork in 2005 filled the major galleries of Tate Britain. Thousands of people saw his work and may not have known who the artist was when they walked across the Millennium Bridge in London, which connects St Paul’s Cathedral and Tate Modern. Caro was a member of the design team that created the bridge5.

Please get in touch if you have any additional information about Lagoon that you would like to share. Thank you.

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Figure 3: Plaque displaying name and date of sculpture.
Figure 4: Front view of Lagoon in Key Theatre forecourt
Figure 5: Reverse side, another perspective of Lagoon
Figure 7: Lagoon from different perspective taken in summer 2022.

References:
1. Kendrap (2018) Available at: Sir Anthony Caro’s ‘Lagoon’ Sculpture Unveiled in Peterborough [online] https://www.kendrapr.co.uk/news/sir-anthony-caros-lagoon-sculpture-unveiled-in-peterborough/ [Accessed: 22 October 2022]
2. Nene Park (nd) Peterborough Sculpture Collection [online] Available at: https://www.nenepark.org.uk/peterborough-sculpture-collection [Accessed: 10 May 2022]
3. Bonhams (2011) Lot 32: Sir Anthony Caro O.M. (online) Available at: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/18698/lot/32/ [Accessed: 10 May 2022]
4. Uren, A (nd) Blow after Caro sculpture fails to sell at auction [online] Available at: https://sculptsite.com/Archive/sculpture-headlines-Sir-Anthony-Caro-03-10-11.html [Accessed: 10 May 2022]
5. Kennedy, M (2013) Sir Anthony Caro, one of British’s finest sculptors, dies at age 89 (online) Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/oct/24/sir-anthony-caro-dies [Accessed: 10 May 2022]
Images:
Figure 1-3: Fu, R (2021) Lagoon [images]
Figure 4: Nene Park (nd) Peterborough Sculpture Collection: Lagoon by Sir Anthony Caro [image] Available at: https://www.nenepark.org.uk/peterborough-sculpture-collection [Accessed: 10 May 2022]