out & about - june

Out and About is over - boo hoo! See my previous post for an overview of this fantastic project. The images below show our visits to Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Leeds Art Gallery and The Hepworth Wakefield, part of The Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle. 

What I've enjoyed most about Out and About is the depth and breadth of art and sculpture the participants were able to engage with. Each visit building on what had been seen and considered before, gently developing a comprehensive knowledge of contemporary sculpture. Its been a tactile first hand experience engaging hearts and minds as we've shared personal viewpoints, ideas and feelings in relation to the work.

The Hepworth Wakefield was the venue for our final sessions with the three schools involved and with cake and squash we celebrated the achievements of children, parents, teaching assistants and teachers. We hope to see the children again and gave out gallery guides detailing our free family workshops this summer. In the last few days I've met a couple of the children at these workshops and we were really happy to see each other!

 Exploring YSP

 Large Owl (for B), Thomas Houseago at YSP

 Yet to be titled (Large Walking Figure), Thomas Houseago at Leeds Art Gallery

 Drawing outside Leeds Art Gallery

 Talking with the children outside The Hepworth Wakefield

Working in gallery 5 - Franz West and Barbara Hepworth

out & about - may

Out and About is an exciting project at The Hepworth Wakefield working with local school children and their parents exploring sculpture at venues on their doorstep. Firstly, we went further afield to North Yorkshire, visiting the breathtaking landscape of Brimham Rocks and wondering if the rock formations were created by nature or human hands. Our next visit was to Yorkshire Sculpture Park, looking at and touching works by Barbara Hepworth and Thomas Houseago, we also viewed the delicate works of Ursula Von Rydingsvard and the children were transfixed. In June we are off to Leeds Art Gallery and Henry Moore Institute and our final destination will be The Hepworth Wakefield. 

During our project we are considering natural sculptural forms, sculpture in the landscape, sculpture in the cityscape and sculpture in a purpose built gallery. My intention is that the families will gain confidence in looking at art and continue their questioning and exploring together beyond the Out and About project.

With all good intentions I never get a chance to photograph my workshops while working, so here are a couple to whet your appetite, I’ll post more about the project in June.

Explorer backpacks for visits to Brimham Rocks and The Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Coach activity packs for the long journey to Brimham Rocks!

movement in space - 2

Our project with young people at The Hepworth Wakefield is flying by. Yesterday we took a trip to Leeds Art Gallery and viewed two exhibitions, Polychromies: Surface, Light and Colour and Bruce McLean: Another Condition of Sculpture. The group made responses to the artworks through drawing, imagining, discussing ideas and writing poems. After viewing McLean's photograph titled Disposable Sculpture Work the group made work out of paper and as we walked to the train station deposited these works in the city.

A challenging discussion was initiated by McLeans ideas of disposable artwork and I told the group about Michael Landy's Break Down, in which the artist took a year to catalogue all his belongings then destroyed them in the former C&A store on Oxford street. We talked about value and whether money and possessions can bring happiness.

Today the young people began planning their activity for gallery visitors during the Wakefield Artwalk next week. It's going to be brilliant!