Sculpture Town: Six Cubes by Shelley Faussett

 

Click on the photos for more pictures at the flickr site

Given the relatively narrow period in the second half of the 20th century where a large part of the Harlow collection was acquired, it is perhaps inevitable that the influence of Henry Moore is seemingly inescapable. In this instance, the sculptor, Shelley Faussett, started out as an apprentice of Moores. 

The piece is typical of Faussett's work as he liked to create stacks of repeated shapes. It can be found in the Bush Fair area of Harlow, in the middle of a small shopping area.

Sculpture Town: Chorus by Lee Grandjean

 

(Click the photos for more pictures at the flickr site)

Lee Grandjean is a sculptor who spent some of his childhood in Harlow. Now resident in Norfolk, this piece was commissioned to mark the 21st anniversary of the Harlow Chorus, an amateur choir still going strong in the town. It is unusual in that it is one of, if not the only piece in the Harlow collection to be made from wood. Having stood outside since 1996, it may have seen better days but still regains it's elegance.

Sculpture Town: Wrestlers by Sally Doig

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Not all the sculptors in the Harlow collection are famous names, and Sally Doig is one of the lesser known. This piece, which originally stood outside the sports centre is the only piece of her work I could find mention of. Sadly it seems to be in poor condition, with the surface heavily worn in places.

Sculpture Town: Contrapuntal Forms by Barbara Hepworth

  

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Barbara Hepworth is one of the best known sculptors represented in the Harlow collection. Her works can be found everywhere from Oxford Street John Lewis to Winchester Cathedral. This piece was originally created for the Festival of Britain in 1951 when it stood proudly on the South Bank.

In music, contrapuntal refers to two lines going in different directions in one piece. Contrapuntal forms is one of a number of pieces in which Barbara Hepworth examined the relationship between two figures (See also this piece in the Tate collection). Although not as famous as her contemporary Henry Moore, her work, to my mind at least, deserves every bit as much recognition as Moore's.

Sculpture Town: Sheep Shearer by Ralph Brown

  

(Click on the photos to see more pictures at the flickr site)

Another of the collections impressive bronzes, this piece was acquired by the trust in 1955, soon after it was set up. Ralph Brown is a Yorkshireman who studied sculpture at the Leeds School of Art, then the Hammersmith School of Art before studying at the Royal College of Art. It was during this time that he created Sheep Shearer. He subsequently taught and worked in various places, and is currently based in Gloucestershire.

Much of his work features everyday scenes of men and women, and this piece captures the sense of determination and struggle in the act of sheep shearing. 

Sculpture Town: Solo Flight by Antanas Brazdys

  

(Click on the photos to see more pictures at the flickr site)

Whereas some of the sculpture in Harlow is hidden away in nooks and crannies, there is no missing this piece, standing over one of busiest routes into the town centre.

On a sunny day, such as the one when I stopped to photograph it, the sun reflects of the highly polished exterior in a quite remarkable fashion. This striking piece is the work of Lithuanian sculptor Antanas Brazdys. It was originally commissioned in 1982 to form part of a new mall in the town centre, where it stood for a number of years before being re-sited in it's current location. Brazdys was born in Lithuania in 1939, moving to the USA with his family soon after the close of hostilities. After studying in Chicago, he moved to London where he worked for a number of years.

Clearly a representation of a bird in flight, to my mind it is most reminiscent of a migratory goose. It's certainly one of the most distinctive pieces I've seen so far in Harlow...

Sculpture Town: Chinese Dynamic by John Mills

(Click on the photo to see more pictures at the Flickr site)

One of the larger bronzes in the collection, Chinese Dynamic by John Mills is the sculptor's take on the Tang Dynasty terracotta horses that are viewable in the British Museum. This is one of a pair of sculptures by Mills, the other, Chinese Reference is in a private collection and I was sadly unable to find a photo of it. I guess that highlights the advantages in publicly held collections of this type! Mills' most famous work is probably the National Firefighters Memorial near St Pauls' cathedral in London. 

Sculpture Town: Kore by Betty Rea

  

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Betty Rea was a sculptor noted for her friendship with Henry Moore. She, with her husband, was active in the anti-fascist movement of the 1930s, before spending the war years teaching art and sculture to evacuated children. This piece was purchased in 1975 as a celebration of Old Harlow (where it still stands) winning an architectural heritage award. It was made shortly before her death in 1965. I guess that Kore refers to the classical sculptures of ancient Greece. I like the expression on the subjects face, part boredom, part annoyance, looking sideways at whatever has caught her eye.

Sculpture Town: Help By F.E. McWilliam

  

(Click on the photos to see more pictures of Help at the Flickr site)

F.E. McWilliam was one of the finest sculptors to come from Northern Ireland in the 20th century. This piece was commissioned by the Harlow Arts Trust in 1977 and shows two women from Northern Ireland holding a sign that just says help. I can't decide whether they're pushing it forwards or banging their heads against it in frustration.  For me, it's one of the more striking of the sculptures to be found in Harlow, and one of the few that could be construed as being overtly political. Perhaps as a consequence it's tucked away, off the beaten track, in the Old Harlow part of town.

Number 46 on the Harlow Sculpture Trail (number 37 on the previous version)

Harlow - Sculpture Town

CIMG1583, originally uploaded by realessex.

I work in Harlow, near the western border of Essex. Harlow has a remarkable collection of sculptures, most of which are out in the wild. The story goes that when the New Town was being built, the architect (Frederick Gibberd) wanted to give the public access to works of art that would normally be seen only in a museum.

There are pieces from the likes of Rodin and Henry Moore, and from lesser know artists. It's a fascinating collection, and I'm looking forward to tracking them all down...