An iconic Barbara Hepworth sculpture will return to Abbot Hall in Kendal.
The bronze Oval Form (Trezion), which has stood outside the venue since 1966, was removed from display in 2021 to go on tour as part of the major retrospective exhibition Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life.
As part of the exhibition tour, the sculpture has been expertly cleaned and conserved by specialists, and Lakeland Arts, which runs Abbot Hall, has worked to secure the support needed to return the sculpture to public view in a way that ensures the work can be enjoyed by future generations.
The organisation said: “The reinstatement marks a significant moment for both the charity and the Kendal community, returning a familiar and much-loved public sculpture to pride of place.
“This has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the Henry Moore Foundation.”
Hepworth (1903–1975) is one of the most important British sculptors from the 20th century.
Born in Wakefield, she studied at Leeds School of Art alongside Henry Moore before continuing her training at the Royal College of Art in London.
She later settled in St Ives, Cornwall, where the landscape and coastline became a lasting source of inspiration for her work.
Abbot Hall is home to a collection of works by artists associated with the St Ives School, with Hepworth at its heart.
The collection includes key sculptures such as Torso and Moon Form, alongside Ben Nicholson’s portrait of Hepworth.
The sculpture’s return will be marked with a public unveiling and talk at Abbot Hall on March 7.
The talk, led by Dr Abi Shapiro, Curator at The Hepworth Wakefield, will use Oval Form (Trezion) to explore Hepworth’s innovative approach to form, material and abstraction.
Niall Hodson, keeper of collections at Lakeland Arts, said: “Barbara Hepworth’s Oval Form is an emblem of both Abbot Hall and Kendal: a beautiful, significant work of sculpture that has adorned the gallery, and the town, for 60 years.
“The sculpture was acquired by Abbot Hall’s first director, Helen Kapp, who purchased it directly from Barbara Hepworth at her studio in St Ives.
“It gives you a sense of the ambition that Kapp, and the early supporters of the gallery, had for Abbot Hall from its foundation in 1962.”
The reinstatement forms part of Lakeland Arts’ wider plans to reimagine Abbot Hall.
Recent support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England’s Museum Renewal Fund has kickstarted a project to develop detailed plans for the gallery’s future; which will look to improve access, enhance the surrounding grounds and ensure Abbot Hall remains a welcoming and inspiring cultural space for many years to come.
