The Sculpture Gallery celebrated its fourth birthday on Sunday 5 April.
Sculpture demands that we give it space. It requires us to move, to appreciate planes and curves, light and shadow, narrative and detail. Whilst few commercial galleries have a specific space for sculpture, here the whole premises is dedicated to the art form.
Set firmly within the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle of the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds Art Gallery, The Hepworth Wakefield and Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Leeds Corn Exchange is an ideal spot for a commercial venture selling sculpture. Situated on the top floor of the building, it is surrounded by the sculptural elegance of the building’s oval domed roof and the natural light it provides. You will not find eye watering price tags or enormous constructions; this is a gallery that sells art that people could easily welcome into their home or business.
Although commercial, it is artist led. I met three artists who have been part of the project since day one: David Iredale, Steve Williams and Mandy Long (main image). The artists involved in running the gallery have varied over time, but currently also include P J Donnelly, Jay Gilleard and Drew Caines.
The project began following a post Covid sculpture exhibition in the Corn Exchange, when some of the sculptors recognised the potential of the venue and wanted to exhibit there on a more regular basis. The gallery has enabled the resident artists to display and expand their work whilst also enabling them to support other artists working in three dimensions.
David Iredale: “We’ve become an important part of Yorkshire’s vibrant sculptural landscape, supporting over 50 sculptors and a gallery where visitors can actually buy sculpture.”
Last weekend saw the launch of collections by Mirfield-based Helaina Sharpley and Holmfirth-based Damon Price. Sharpley’s wirework sculptures are inspired by Yorkshire landscapes. Her intricate wall-hung pieces cross the line between drawing and sculpture, the thickness of wire suggesting laden trees and faint, distant hills. Price uses both wax and clay in his practice. His bronzes take inspiration from nature and classics with horses, owls and human form on display. A bust of Orion makes a striking contribution to the exhibition.
The gallery has a good range of abstract, human, and natural forms on display. The gallery walls are painted white in some areas and a matt naval blue in others. The artists were at the heart of the gallery design, each had been asked to bring paint samples, but Iredale told me it was a quick and unanimous decision that chose this colour palette. Add natural light from the balcony and rear windows, plinths of various heights, an illuminated display cabinet for small pieces and you have a setting that is ideal for displaying sculpture.
The gallery also offers two-day small group stone carving courses in Leeds and Oldham at affordable prices. David Iredale and Steve Williams are keen to pass on their stone carving skills to others and to foster new talent. The courses are suitable for beginners and lead to the production of a relief sculpture on the final day. An earlier attendee has become a sculptor and exhibited their work in the gallery. Whether through tuition, supporting other sculptors or developing their own practice, there is a sense that these artists are an integral part of the development of three-dimensional art in Yorkshire.
The birthday celebrations were sponsored by Terra Sarda Wines, and we were treated to beautifully smooth Sardinian wines. During the afternoon, it was great to see new people discovering the gallery, friends returning to offer support and connoisseurs admiring the artwork.
Further notes
The Sculpture Gallery in Leeds Corn Exchange is a most unusual independent gallery, in that it is the only artist-led commercial gallery in the UK that is totally dedicated to 3D work.
Celebrating the Gallery’s 4th anniversary on 1st April, this collective of six sculptors – Pete Donnelly, David Iredale, Mandy Long, Steve Williams, Jay Gilleard and Drew Caines – own and run the Gallery, showcasing their own work, supplemented by guest artists on a monthly rotation. One of the City’s most iconic buildings, the Corn Exchange, is a popular destination for those seeking independent outlets.
The Sculpture Gallery
8 – 9 The Balcony, Leeds Corn Exchange
Call Lane, Leeds. LS1 7BR
Photographs by Debbie Rolls where credited. Others provided by The Sculpture Gallery.
Main image by Debbie Rolls.
