17 May - 25 August 2003

DOMAIN FIELD (2003), an ambitious work, was commissioned specially for BALTIC in Gateshead in 2003. From February to May of 2003 the BALTIC's Level 4 art space was converted into the site for the production of this major work. DOMAIN FIELD consists of 240 'Domain' sculptures based on full body plaster casts of 240 volunteers of all ages from Newcastle and Gateshead. Each cast then became the basis for a unique 'Domain', a random matrix of welded steel bars forming a three-dimensional drawing in space. The work was exhibited alongside ALLOTMENT (1997) and a series of Gormley's expansion works, BODY (1991/3), FRUIT (1991/3) and EARTH (1991/3). 

Describing this exhibition, Gormley has written: 

'It has been a great adventure bringing together, for the first time, these three groups of work made over the last ten years. They try, in different ways, to engage with the place, origin and freedom: big words, big works. Two of the installations grew to the size they are through collaboration - the result of an invitation to the citizens of two cities, Malmö and Newcastle/Gateshead and the engagement of local makers. This publication celebrates the evolution of DOMAIN FIELD, the third and most recent work, fabricated from beginning to end at BALTIC, transforming the great space of the top floor into a zone where life confronted art, literally head on. 

I am amazed by the number of people who volunteered to be part of DOMAIN FIELD. They did so for all sorts of reasons, to be immortalised, to overcome their fear, or just because they liked the idea of benig part of a work of art. Whatever reason they came, what they brought was energy, an energy that grew as the piece grew. Just as the work questions the limits of our bodies, so the participants were confronted by, and in many cases overcame, their own boundaries.'