On the move... famous faces make way for a change of art at sculpture festival
FAMOUS FACES from Leeds’s history were painstakingly moved from their permanent home to make space for a temporary exhibition celebrating contemporary sculpture making.
The collection of imposing busts are usually fixtures in Leeds Art Gallery’s historic Ziff Gallery, but have been making room for a new display as part of the upcoming Yorkshire Sculpture International.
Among the illustrious figures on the move have been Thomas Pridgin Teale, a surgeon at Leeds General Infirmary in the 19th century who pioneered a method of limb amputation, and former Lord Mayor of Leeds John Barran, a clothing manufacturer and benefactor for the purchase of Roundhay Park. Most of the busts will now go into storage at Leeds Discovery Centre, with some going on display elsewhere.
Running from June 22 to September 29, the gallery’s exhibitions as part of Yorkshire Sculpture International will include a series of solo shows and new commissions exploring the breadth of contemporary sculpture-making, including the first solo exhibition in the UK by Japanese artist Nobuko Tsuchiya
In October 2017, the gallery re-opened after closing for almost two years for essential repairs. The renovation included the unveiling of the original Victorian glass roof, which had been hidden behind a ceiling for more than 40 years.