Henry Moore At Kew (original) (raw)

Moore at Kew has now finished. This landmark exhibition of monumental works by the internationally acclaimed sculptor Henry Moore ran from 15 September 2007 to 30 March 2008. Twenty-eight outdoor sculptures were sited within Kew's unique World Heritage landscape, making this the first exhibition of its kind ever to be held in London.

The artist's hands with flints

Introducing Moore

By Anita Feldman Bennet
Curator, The Henry Moore Foundation

Major temporary displays of outdoor sculpture are rare. The last exhibition of Moore’s open-air sculpture in the UK was held at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 1987, a year after the artist’s death. The only other outdoor display of his work in the UK was held at the Serpentine Gallery in London in 1978, and the works largely consisted of indoor sculpture.

In contrast, this exhibition at Kew affords a selection of 28 outdoor sculptures, all monumental in scale as well as in concept.

Moore was already fifty when he began creating sculpture intended for siting in the landscape, although he had worked in the open air throughout his career.

At Kew all of Moore’s major themes were present: reclining figures, mother and child, organic forms, internal/external forms, interlocking forms and figure as landscape.

Moore at Kew provided a unique opportunity to witness how the changing light, weather and surrounding foliage affect sculpture throughout the seasons. It also enabled us to be inspired by the combined beauty of both.