The Yorkshire Sculpture International festival kicked off in spectacular style this week as two giant Damien Hirst sculptures were unveiled in Leeds City Centre. There’s lots of other exciting artists to see, with 15 international artists from 12 different countries featuring in the festival.
Artists include Rashid Johnson from Chicago and Tamar Harpaz from Jerusalem whose new commissions will go on show at the Henry Moore Institute. Their work brings together debates around the use of material culture in understanding human behaviour, history and what it means to create objects today.
At Leeds Art Gallery a series of solo shows and new commissions will explore the breadth of contemporary sculpture-making, including the first solo exhibition in the UK by Japanese artist Nobuko Tsuchiya.
But it’s not just Leeds that will welcome some of the world’s most well-known sculptors. A major new installation by German artist Wolfgang Laib, who only uses raw and natural resources in his work, will take over The Hepworth in Wakefield. His work is created entirely with rice and pollen collected by the artist over a number of years from the fields surrounding his home.
At the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Korean artist Kimsooja will transform the Park’s historic chapel with a new installation featuring lights and a mirrored floor. And there’s lot more exhibitions and artists to enjoy – for the full programme click here.
Taking place across Leeds and Wakefield, Yorkshire Sculpture International will run from Saturday 22 June until Sunday 29 September 2019 – and what’s more it’s all free!