Art Gallery for the Afternoon

I haven't been to the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield in probably over a decade, but I drive past it every week on my way to work and I saw a banner for an exhibition of works by Kim Lim absolutely months ago. I don't know when or how I first heard of her, but it turns out there was an exhibition of her works at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 1995. I grew up just near there and would have been eleven at that time, so I wonder if I saw her way back when on a school trip or something! I had been meaning to go to the exhibition but didn't get round to it, but I knew it finished on the 2nd of June so I asked my mum to go with me and we agreed on the 28th of May. As I work really close to there, my mum picked me up so that I could leave my car there, and we went round to the Hepworth. 

We got in - my mum got in for free as she's a Wakefield resident - and went upstairs. We started with the Kim Lim stuff. My friend Chloe had told me it was small and while it is, there was still enough to see. I liked learning more about her and her work. Some of her two dimensional work left me a bit cold, but I liked a lot of the sculptures. I also liked when we read the name of it and could see exactly why it was called that. I liked her stuff made of natural stone or marble or wood more than those made of aluminium or acrylic, but I did like seeing it all.

We then went through to the other galleries. Firstly there was an exhibition by Andrew Cranston and we liked a lot of his paintings, especially those painted on hardback books. Then there were some still lifes, which neither of us really liked. And then there is the Barbara Hepworth stuff. She was from Wakefield so my mum and I have grown up with her stuff, but it's always nice to see it. I particularly like the Winger Figure which is absolutely huge - the photo really does not do it justice. 

After we had looked at everything upstairs we headed downstairs to the cafe for a coffee each and a piece of cake. Then we looked at the gift shop and I did buy some postcards too! I'm so glad I made the effort to go and it was nice to see with my mum too. 

Oh you can't really see the writing too well, but it's about her life

This was one of her works made of natural stone

I liked these little forms which were prototypes of the bigger works

We both liked this wooden sculpture a lot

And these prints hanging from the ceiling

Love these free forms of waves and coastline, too

This piece, called Day, lives in the Hepworth's garden anyway, so it was nice to know its context

The hanging works from a different angle

My mum and I liked this one - made of brass - best

We went sure which way it was best from? 

I really liked this spiral piece

This was by Andrew Cranston and was made with bleach and dye on canvas

This piece supposedly has eleven cats in it!

I love old industrial buildings like the mill near the gallery

This is by Barbara Hepworth and I absolutely love it

These cacoa pods were really cool

Another Hepworth

Looking at the river near Chantry Bridge

Look at these geese and goslings!

I love this quote so much

And finally the winged piece, it is probably about twelve feet tall though!