ARTS NEWS THIS WEEK: YSP LOANS SCULPTURE FOR NEW TOWN HALL GARDENS & POSTSCRIPT OPENS AT REDBROOK

YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE PARK LOANS LARGE ARTWORK FOR NEW TOWN HALL GARDENS
The new community square and gardens, currently underway at the Lancaster Gate side of Barnsley Town Hall, will feature a striking sculpture thanks to a loan from Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP).

Where the sculpture will be positioned.

Crossing (Vertical) by Nigel Hall is planned to be positioned at the bottom corner of the landscaped area towards the end of May and will be a key element of the new square. The sculpture is made of corten (weathering) steel and stands at a brilliant 10 metres high. The sculpture was created in 2006 and was sited at Yorkshire Sculpture Park back in March 2008, welcoming visitors to the first major survey of Hall’s work in the UK.

Since the late 1980s, Nigel Hall has created a significant body of work for the open air and has been commissioned to make sculpture for public spaces by institutions around the world. He was elected a Royal Academician in 2003.
Hall’s understanding of how objects may occupy and define space informs the way in which he makes sculpture for outdoor spaces. Hall’s sculpture is often inspired by his experience of walking in a landscape: how views change depending on different approaches, the pauses taken to appreciate being in a place and the effects of the seasons and weather.

Nigel Hall, Crossing (Vertical), 2006. Photo Jonty Wilde. Courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Cllr Roy Miller, Cabinet Spokesperson for Development, Environment and Culture (Operations) said: “We are very grateful to Yorkshire Sculpture Park for the loan of a stunning contemporary artwork that complements the excellent design of the square and creates an international quality public space for the residents and visitors to Barnsley

“The improvements to the whole area provide an impressive connection to Experience Barnsley and create a new public space that will be multi-functional, supporting Experience Barnsley activities and other events.

“I believe this and similar projects will lift Barnsley town centre, stimulating growth and encouraging investment that will strengthen the town centre business economy. This and other measures set out in the council’s Economic Strategy will be the catalysts to create new jobs and grow business, enhancing the vibrancy of the town centre, both day and night.”

Peter Murray CBE, Executive Director, Yorkshire Sculpture Park says: “Nigel Hall’s sculptures have not only been displayed at YSP, where he had a major exhibition in 2008, but also in city centres across the world including Seoul, Hiroshima and Canberra. We are delighted to work with Barnsley Council to add the town to that list, celebrating the launch of Experience Barnsley.”

You can read more about Nigel Hall at this Royal Academy link.

DEBUT EXHIBITION OPENS AT THE NEW REDBROOK BUSINESS PARK ARTSPACE

Last Wednesday evening, the first ever exhibition at the new arts space at Redbrook Business Park opened to the public.
Entitled ‘Postscript’, the exhibition plays on the new use of the building and explores ways of defining space – artists have created work finding new ways to interact and consider the exhibition space. The exhibition features emerging artists David Walton, Daniel Newton, Joshua May, Scott D’Arcy and invited artist Lucy Crouch.

Photograph courtesy of Peter Deakin

The featured artists are part of the Northern Young Artists collective. Postscript marks the first exhibition, organised by local artist collective Northern Young Artists, at their new temporary site at Redbrook Business Park. Playing on the new use of the building and ways of defining space, artists have created work finding new ways to interact and consider the exhibition space. The exhibition features emerging artists David Walton, Daniel Newton, Joshua May, Scott D’Arcy and invited artist Lucy Crouch.
A launch evening took place on Wednesday 17th April and featured separate performances by artists Scott D’Arcy and David Walton.

photograph courtesy of Peter Deakin

NYA is an enthusiastic collective of graduate artists and designers working across Yorkshire and the North of England. Eager to experiment, innovate and develop, the group has developed a supportive network for emerging artists and designers in the North. NYA member Fiona Halliday formed a partnership with Leeds based contemporary art organisation East Street Arts to create the new exhibition/project space which can be adapted for different uses including larger visual project work or a rehearsal space for performance work.

Postscript runs Thursday 18th April – Saturday 4th May
Opening Hours – 10am-4pm, Thursday – Saturday
You can find out more about both the Northern Young Artists and Redbrook over at this link: northernyoungartists.tumblr.com