Frieze design in frame
A 19th CENTURY artwork by one of Sheffield's most influential artistic designers has been restored and put on show, allowing a new generation in his home city to enjoy the internationally significant work.
The Minerva Frieze was designed by Godfrey Sykes, who developed his skills at Sheffield School of Art before moving on to become the lead artistic designer at the South Kensington Museum (later the V&A).
But before leaving for London he created the 60ft long frieze for Sheffield's Mechanics Institute. Originally made up of 13 painted panels – of which 10 survive – it depicts a procession of artisans in a style reminiscent of the Elgin marbles.
The panels have been in the care of Museums Sheffield, who arranged for them to be restored by expert conservator Mark Roberts.
Sykes was a student and subsequently assistant headmaster at Sheffield School of Design, now part of Sheffield Hallam University, who supported the project and have put the friezes on display in the atrium of the Furnival Building in their City Campus.
They will be on show to the public for the first time in 100 years until March and a series of events organised to commemorate the occasion, including school visits and a project to encourage youngsters to emulate Sykes by creating their own friezes.
Next month Christopher Marsden, head archivist at the V&A in London, will come to Sheffield to talk about the importance of the artist. There will also be a special event in London for V&A members to celebrate his life and work.
Marsden believes Godfrey Sykes deserves recognition beyond the work at the V&A in London, which still survives.
He was was hugely influential on fellow artists at the time, reaching around the world with the design of many major buildings.
"Godfrey had led a very successful career here in Sheffield before we managed to steal him away to work on the decorations of the South Kensington Museum," he said. "I think Godfrey should be more widely recognised for his work but unfortunately he died aged 41 so he's not as well known as he should be.
"People at the time though did recognise his immense ability and he was quite an original artistic talent as well.
"Godfrey was a fine artist with a very distinctive outlook in his work. Many of his paintings here in Sheffield are of the locality, the industries and the working people – something he was very interested in."
He continued: "Godfrey was also a prolific and original designer in the metals industry and, in our case, a great designer for the South Kensington buildings. He wasn't an architect but he could design mosaics, stained glass and metalwork which very richly decorated the buildings in South Kensington."
During his time in London, Sykes had a band of devoted followers and a number of students from Sheffield followed him to the capital to carry on working in his style.
"Godfrey should not be forgotten because he was not only a very able artist and a great creator but he was also a significant figure in design education," concluded Christopher Marsden
His illustrated talk, Godfrey Sykes in South Kensington, takes place at the Pennine Theatre, City Campus on Thursday, December 3.
In January, Godfrey's great, great-granddaughter, best-selling American author Diana Gabaldon, creator of the Outlander series, will make an appearance in Sheffield.
The Minerva Frieze can be viewed at the Furnival Building, Arundel Street daily until March.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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