The figure, dressed in a T-shirt tucked into jeans and wearing Nike Air Rift sneakers, holds a phone in one hand while turning to نگاه over her shoulder. The pose echoes classical sculpture, notably recalling the dynamic twist of Bernini’s “David,” yet the subject’s everyday appearance challenges conventional expectations of monumental public art.
Gus Casely-Hayford, director of V&A East, described the sculpture as a “reverse lighthouse,” intended to welcome visitors and signal a shift in how museums engage with audiences. Located along a canal and a short walk from the V&A East Storehouse, the new museum is designed with younger audiences in mind, featuring works that explore identity, creativity, and sustainability.
The museum’s approach was shaped through outreach to more than 100 local schools, reflecting the diversity of surrounding East London communities. Casely-Hayford said the goal is to ensure visitors see themselves represented, particularly those who have historically felt excluded from traditional cultural institutions
Price, 44, has spent over two decades creating public sculptures that elevate everyday individuals to monumental scale. With “A Place Beyond,” his largest work to date, he continues to challenge perceptions of who is represented in art. By portraying fictional figures in relaxed, unidealized forms, Price aims to broaden the narrative of contemporary art and redefine what constitutes cultural significance.
