Anyone even slightly familiar with London’s art world immediately recalls Thomas J Price’s iconic sculpture Reaching Out—that young woman standing with her phone in hand. Price has redefined 21st-century sculpture by taking the concept of the monument away from kings and generals and returning it to the streets—to ordinary people like us. As of today, 12 March 2026, a new, even more majestic work by the artist is rising above Stratford, forcing necks to crane a little further.
Standing approximately 5.5 metres (18 feet) tall in front of the V&A East Museum, A Place Beyond embodies Price’s signature “ordinary hero” style: a fictional young figure dressed in trainers, jeans, and an oversized T-shirt—everyday chic. As V&A East Director Gus Casely-Hayford has noted, this colossal sculpture delivers a clear message: V&A East is not just for the elite—it belongs to everyone, and this towering figure reinforces the feeling that “this place is yours.”
Just like in Price’s previous works, the figure holds that now-famous smartphone. While the V&A press release romantically describes the pose as “looking toward a horizon full of possibilities,” any real Londoner might read it as someone perfectly timing the ideal “I’m running late” excuse for a date across town. Either way, it’s already obvious that this imposing figure will become the neighbourhood’s most popular meeting point: “I’ll be the one standing next to the really, really tall person!”
The sculpture serves as a monumental gateway to the V&A East Museum, which officially opens on 18 April. Once the museum opens, visitors will be able to explore the free exhibition Why We Make Galleries, featuring over 500 objects from the worlds of art, fashion, and performance. The paid opening exhibition The Music is Black: A British Story, which focuses on the Black roots of British music, is also highly anticipated. Following the recent opening of the nearby V&A East Storehouse—which has already established itself as one of London’s major museums—this towering work by Price looks set to become the most visible symbol of the area’s cultural transformation.
