The muted, dark patina of Henry Moore´s monumental bronze sculptures are said to echo the earthy tones of his home county, Yorkshire; and that the curves and undulating forms of the pieces somehow reflect the landscape of that part of northern England.
So it might be a surprise to experience seven of his most impressive pieces, displayed in Spain, in glorious sunshine. Yet that opportunity has been free to visitors to Seville, as an exhibition of his works has been travelling through 5 Spanish cities. I was lucky enough to catch the collection in Plaza del Triunfo, Seville which ends tomorrow, but there is still a chance to marvel at the huge works, when they visit Valencia from 27 Mar – 7 May 2014 in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and then in Bilbao from 20 May – 17 July 2014, Arenal Ibilbidea.
As outlined on the Henry Moore Foundation´s website, the exhibit features ‘seven monumental bronzes created by Moore at the peak of his career, between 1960 and 1982. These seven sculptures are representative of key motifs in Moore’s work: the fascination with the reclining figure and the ‘mother and child’ themes; the exploration of the relationship of the human figure with the landscape, both urban and rural; the tension between naturalism and abstraction; the transformation of natural objects into sculptural forms.’
The bronzes looked stunning under the spring sun in Seville, with the backdrop of the historic cathedral, Giralda, and the Arab fort. The presentation used QR codes, so one could scan the descriptive plaques and with a Smartphone and listen to a description and background to each of the pieces – very smart use of technology.
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