The Man in the Sea: Margate’s Mysterious Tide‑Washed Sculpture

If you’ve ever walked along Margate’s seafront near the Turner Contemporary and spotted a solitary iron figure emerging from the waves, you’ve encountered one of Margate’s most photographed residents: the Antony Gormley “Another Time” sculpture, affectionately known by locals as the man in the sea. Installed in 2017 on Fulsam Rock, this enigmatic cast‑iron figure has become a modern landmark—sometimes half‑buried in the tide, sometimes standing tall against the horizon. 

A Sculpture That Appears and Disappears

The statue has an unusual rhythm:
It becomes visible about three hours before low tide, then slowly vanishes again as the sea returns. This tidal performance is part of its magic—no two encounters ever look the same. The sculpture can be viewed from the shoreline behind Turner Contemporary or, on very low tides, from the foreshore itself. 

Visitors often note how dramatically it changes with the conditions: sometimes draped in barnacles and seaweed from repeated submersion, sometimes standing stark against a glassy calm sea. These natural textures are part of what makes the figure so compelling to photographers and walkers alike. 

A Work by One of Britain’s Most Influential Sculptors

The figure is part of “Another Time”, a global series of 100 cast‑iron sculptures by Sir Antony Gormley—the same artist behind Gateshead’s Angel of the North. Each figure is cast from the artist’s own body and reflects on what it means to be human: “an attempt to bear witness to what it is like to be alive and alone in space and time.” 

Made from iron using an industrial moulding process, the surface of the Margate figure still bears subtle traces of its construction—marks from the casting, division lines from the plaster mould, and the evolving patina from constant exposure to the sea. 

A Long‑Term Part of Margate’s Seascape

Originally installed as a temporary loan, the sculpture has been granted several extensions and is now confirmed to remain in Margate until 2030. This ensures it will continue to be a familiar—and often surprising—sight for locals and visitors for years to come. 

A Favourite for Exploration and Photography

For many, visiting the statue is an adventure in itself. At very low tides, people cautiously walk out along the remaining concrete structures of the old pier for a closer look—though doing so can be slippery and requires care. Reviews often describe the joy of discovering the statue unexpectedly, or finding it entirely submerged at high tide.

Its placement beside Turner Contemporary also makes it a natural part of a cultural day out in Margate, where art meets the raw movement of sea and weather.