Sarah Lucas and Antony Gormley present contrasting London exhibitions exploring the human form

Two major London exhibitions in late 2012 and early 2013 presented contrasting approaches to the human body. Sarah Lucas's 'Situation Classic Pervery' at Sadie Coles HQ Off Site ran from December 1, 2012 through March 2013, featuring provocative installations including toilets with cushions and a wall mural of penis tips in bean soup. The exhibition included her 2012 'Untitled (tit chair)' made from stuffed hose and referenced her 1998 work 'Human Toilet Revisited'. A video projection showed Lucas visiting a goat farm wearing goat fur. Antony Gormley's 'Model' at White Cube Bermondsey was on view from November 28, 2012 to February 19, 2013, featuring rust-colored rectangular figures with a pixellating effect. The exhibition included 'Hinge II' (2011) in the courtyard and progressively larger figures throughout the gallery. A dedicated room displayed the meticulous process behind creating 'Model' (2012), showing materials from bass wood matrices to blue foam carvings. Visitors could enter the giant sculpture after signing a safety waiver, experiencing the body as inhabitable space. Both exhibitions concluded with head-related elements: Gormley's sculpture required climbing from foot to crown, while Lucas displayed a 2000 skull with gold teeth above her tit chair.