Is art useful? As part of its mission to 'to bring people together to think about why sculpture matters' a new exhibition running until October at the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds presents the art of prosthetics, positing the pragmatic side to sculpture and its ongoing dialogue with advancements in medical science. On view across three galleries, the exhibition brings together more than 70 examples, from the turn of the 19th century up to a new outdoor sculpture by Rebecca Warren.
The exhibition puts a particular emphasis on the response of creative thinkers in the postwar periods in Europe, where designers, artists and doctors were searching for solutions for the fragmented body – as well as ways to articulate and express new hybrid bodies, part man, part machine. Among the remarkable makers is Francis Derwent Wood, a British sculptor, who after being exposed to the horrific injuries suffered by men during the First World War (during which more than 20,000 British soldiers alone were facially wounded) opened a clinic for the disfigured, sculpting custom-made masks from thin metal for soldiers to conceal their wounds. It’s part of a remarkable trajectory tracing the role of creativity in rebuilding and rethinking the body in times where it has been challenged by both politics and technology.
Alongside radical contemporary artists widely renowned for their interest in prosthetics and body modification – such as the late Louise Bourgeois and Rebecca Horn – are examples of experimentation with the forms and functions of the body by pioneers in other disciplines, such as the iconic design duo Charles and Ray Eames.
On view across three galleries, the exhibition brings together more than 70 examples from the turn of the 19th century up to the present day. Pictured: Louise Bourgeois' Leg, by Stuart Brisley, 2002.
The exhibition puts a particular emphasis on the response of creative thinkers in the post-war periods in Europe, where designers, artists and doctors were searching for solutions for the fragmented body. Pictured left: Unicorn, by Rebecca Horn, 1970. Right: Moveable Shoulder Extensions, by Rebecca Horn, 1971.
Pictured left: prosthetic devices for the leg, 1890–1910. Right: Finger Gloves, by Rebecca Horn, 1972.
Pictured: The Cabinet of Bessie Gilmore, by Matthew Barney, 1999.
Among the makers is Francis Derwent Wood, a British sculptor, who after being exposed to the horrific injuries suffered by men during the first world war opened a clinic for the facially disfigured. Pictured: Captain Francis Derwent Wood RA of the Royal Army Medical Corps adds the finishing touches to a patient's new facial plate, c.1914–188.
Pictured: Denkmal der unbekannten Prothesen (Monument to Unknown Prostheses), by Heinrich Hoerle, 1930.
Pictured left: Rock Drill, by Jacob Epstein, 1913. Right: Henriette, by Louise Bourgeois, 1985.
INFORMATION
’The Body Extended: Sculpture and Prosthetics’ is on view until 23 October. For more information, visit the Henry Moore Institute website
ADDRESS
Henry Moore Institute
74 The Headrow
Leeds, LS1 3AH
-
Louis Vuitton drafts contemporary artists to use the house’s silk ‘carré’ scarf as a colourful canvasIn a tradition which dates back to the 1980s, Louis Vuitton has asked five artists to reimagine its silk carré scarf using floral motifs
-
'It’s not so much about art, it's more about the process': Tim Burton at the Design Museum'The World of Tim Burton' is now open at the Design Museum.
-
Bedside lamps for illuminated nightsThe Wallpaper* edit of the best design-focused bedside lamps and where to buy them: warm and bright autumn nights with this edit of bedside lamps for your room
-
Frieze Sculpture takes over Regent’s ParkTwenty-two international artists turn the English gardens into a dream-like landscape and remind us of our inextricable connection to the natural world
-
Harlem-born artist Tschabalala Self’s colourful ode to the landscape of her childhoodTschabalala Self’s new show at Finland's Espoo Museum of Modern Art evokes memories of her upbringing, in vibrant multi-dimensional vignettes
-
Wanås Konst sculpture park merges art and nature in SwedenWanås Konst’s latest exhibition, 'The Ocean in the Forest', unites land and sea with watery-inspired art in the park’s woodland setting
-
Pino Pascali’s brief and brilliant life celebrated at Fondazione PradaMilan’s Fondazione Prada honours Italian artist Pino Pascali, dedicating four of its expansive main show spaces to an exhibition of his work
-
John Cage’s ‘now moments’ inspire Lismore Castle Arts’ group showLismore Castle Arts’ ‘Each now, is the time, the space’ takes its title from John Cage, and sees four artists embrace the moment through sculpture and found objects
-
Gerhard Richter unveils new sculpture at Serpentine SouthGerhard Richter revisits themes of pattern and repetition in ‘Strip-Tower’ at London’s Serpentine South
-
Peter Blake’s sculptures spark joy at Waddington Custot in London‘Peter Blake: Sculpture and Other Matters’, at London's Waddington Custot, spans six decades of the artist's career
-
Oozing, squidgy, erupting forms come alive at Hayward Gallery‘When Forms Come Alive: Sixty Years of Restless Sculpture’ at Hayward Gallery, London, is a group show full of twists and turns
