AN artist is teaming up with a Somerset landmark to display a cast iron piece of art.

Artist Anthony Gormley is set to produce a new piece of work that will be exhibited on the west front of Wells Cathedral.

Mr Gormley said he has chosen the west front of the Cathedral for its "position" and "visibility".

“I have used the orthogonal geometry of our modern habitat to evoke the body as a place rather than as a carrier of narrative illustrated by appearance and attribute," he said.

"The work attempts to invoke the feeling of being isolated and exposed on this corner of a Gothic masterpiece.

"My purpose is to engage the eye and body of the viewer in empathic projection, to consider our time in the shelter of other times.”

The piece will be loaned by Mr Gormley and on display from the end of August.

The Very Reverend Dr John Davies, Dean of Wells, said: “The west front of Wells Cathedral is one of the wonders of medieval architecture – a triumph of statuary and design.

"And now is to be added, for a period, a piece by one our greatest contemporary sculptors, Antony Gormley. Medieval and modern, ancient, and contemporary. Will we see contrast or complementarity? Come and see, then decide!”

The project is being run in conjunction with Wells Art Contemporary (WAC) and Project Factory CIC.

Paddy O'Hagan, chair of WAC, said the work itself is "not just" the sculpture.

"As in his other public commissions, where and how the piece is placed and the ways it interacts with its environment and context are equally important," he added.

"In this case the west front has a number of mediaeval figures, as well as three modern pieces.

"The Gormley work will be in 'dialogue with all these elements and indeed the west front as a major feat of Gothic architecture.”

Fundraising and community involvement will be coordinated by Project Factory CIC in Wells.

Emma Lefevre, from Project Factory CIC, added: “This is a wonderful opportunity for the people of Wells to come together to make it happen.

"We look forward to working with Wells Cathedral and WAC to bring to fruition this great work by Antony Gormley.”