Henry Moore Touring Exhibition arrives at The Cooper Gallery

A touring exhibition from The Sainsbury Centre collection of work by acclaimed sculptor Henry Moore is to visit Barnsley’s Cooper Gallery from January 28.

Henry Moore, who was born and bred in West Yorkshire, was a semi-abstract sculpture artist known for pioneering a new vision for modern sculpture.

He is best known for his monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world, including at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, but his work also includes carvings, drawings, prints and designed textiles and tapestries too.

The exhibition, Henry Moore: Threads of Influence, spans the length of his esteemed career from early drawings and carvings to iconic drawings and late prints and demonstrates the multiple facets of Moore’s practice. It explores his influences over the years from artists such as Henri Gaudier-Brzeska and Jacob Epstein to ancient sculpture from Mexico and beyond.

With over 31 pieces on display and on loan in this touring exhibition from the Sainsbury Centre, one of the most prominent university art galleries in Britain, the exhibition includes life drawings of the human form that laid the foundations of Moore’s sculptural practice.

The exhibition will also feature drawings from Moore’s time as an Official War Artist inspired by the scenes in the London Underground during the Blitz.

Jon Finch, Head of Culture and Visitor Economy at Barnsley Museums, said: “Moore’s work is iconic and we are very privileged to have an artist of his calibre on display in The Cooper Gallery. The exhibition sits perfectly alongside more of his pieces in the gallery’s permanent collection, which will be on display at the same time, providing a greater understanding of his work.

“He has strong links to Yorkshire, and people can discover more of his work at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield and in the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds.”

Councillor Robert Frost, Cabinet Spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture, said: “Having the works of Henry Moore on display here in Barnsley will spark plenty of conversations among those visiting Barnsley town centre over the next few months.

“A lot has changed in Barnsley over the past year and there’s never been a better time to visit. As well as a rich cultural offer, both in the town centre and in our museums and galleries, we’ve now got a great mix of activities across the whole town centre with popular leisure venues like Superbowl UK and Cineworld UK, cultural venues like Experience Barnsley and the Cooper Gallery, and many new shops, cafés, bars and restaurants.”

You can find out more about the free exhibition, which will run from January 28 to June 3, 2023, at www.cooper-gallery.com