The Angel of the North is a sculpture made from steel by the artist Antony Gormley, located in Gateshead in the North East of England. It was conceived as a landmark sculpture to mark the approach into Gateshead. The Angel of the North is a major part of Gateshead’s identity, much like the Statue of Liberty is of New York’s. Since its installation in February 1998, it has grown to become one of the best known and most talked about works of public art in history. The location, which was formerly the baths at the entrance of a coal mine, was reclaimed and set aside for a future sculpture in 1990. Sculptor Antony Gormley’s ideas first sparked controversy when he was chosen as the 1994 winner. People did not approve of the sculpture’s controversial location or theme. But after it was installed, a lot of people’s initial opinions on the piece changed significantly. Gormley said, “I want to make something we can live with and that becomes a reservoir for feelings — feelings that perhaps we hadn’t known until this thing was there, or feelings that couldn’t arise until it was.” The sculpture has become well-known as a symbol of Gateshead, as locals have fallen in love with it.