Photographs by Liz North (Lead Image from YSP)
We spent some time at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park the other day looking at the new exhibition of work from the iconic artist KAWS.
Sometimes we get a bit deadened and possibly a little lazy when it comes to "Art Toys", everything is cozy and formulaic - and frankly a little safe. There are companies out there who are quite happy to crush every last piece of wonder and curiosity in the pursuit of the next dollar. KAWS is no doubt a commercial success worldwide but it is great to see him taking chances with pieces of this size. This is an artist who doesn’t have to take chances but he chooses to anyway.
So to the venue. Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a wonderful setting in the middle of the Yorkshire countryside, which can be beautiful and bleak at the same time and the light changes from minute to minute. With internationally recognised artists such as Antony Gormley, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth already attached over time to the sculpture park you know this is a venue with credibility.
KAWSing A Commotion
On the day we went to see the KAWS exhibition it was predictably cold, windy and muddy and what was really good to see was how busy it was. Speaking to some of the staff we hear that people had to be turned away on the official opening day and the numbers on this day are impressive as well. There is a diverse group of people at the exhibition (including one young girl, who while explaining the work to her family, gives us the the title for this post. There are people milling all over the park and there is a great buzz to the whole place from the carpark onwards.
Along The Way, Final Days, At This Time, Small Lies, Good Intentions are the names of the large pieces he has created for this exhibition. In their setting of this historical country park landscape they seem comfortable, and the juxtaposition we expected to feel because of the space the larger pieces are in just doesn’t happen. KAWS has clearly spent time getting this right and the attention to detail paid to the position and attitude created is awe inspiring and inventive. While being English of course makes us a little biased, we think there is something quite unique about the light here and with a few clouds in the sky the light is shifting and changing constantly. This makes the pieces (especially the pieces with the wood finish) shift and change from warm to stark from moment to moment - adding even more wonder to the figures in an unpredictable way.
There is more work in the Longside Gallery, we are going to save this for another day so we have a good excuse to go back and see it all again. Basically this is a wonderful, recommended exhibition for many reasons so go and see this if you get the opportunity. It’s close the M1 so easy to get to, make sure you avoid peak times if you want a little more space - I am sure if you give the Yorkshire Sculpture Park a call they will be more than happy to advise you nearer the time of your visit.