Henry Moore's Three Piece Reclining Figure No.2: Bridge Prop has moved to Chancellor’s Court on the University of Leeds campus.
A crane the size of three double-decker London buses was used to move the statue from Parkinson Court. The sculpture is now surrounded by the modernist and brutalist Grade II-listed buildings designed by Chamberlin Powell and Bon, which were built around a similar time to the Three Piece Reclining Figure.
The statue is currently on loan from Leeds Art Fund via Leeds Museums and Galleries, a long-standing partner of the University.
Layla Bloom, Curator at Leeds University Libraries Galleries, said: “His distinctive bronze is now complemented both visually and historically by Chamberlin, Powell & Bon’s glass and cast concrete architecture.
“‘Bridge Prop’ sits beneath one of the flying walkways linking the Roger Stevens and Irene Manton Buildings, which also resonates with Moore’s original inspiration for the work: the view underneath Waterloo Bridge from the Embankment, which he thought evoked the form of a figure.”
The sculpture was previously hosted in Parkinson Court outside the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery.
The Three Piece Reclining Figure No.2: Bridge Prop sculpture is a part of the University of Leeds Public Audio Art Trail. This enables visitors to scan QR codes in front of each of the 21 sculptures, friezes and installations across the University estate to hear insights from experts, academics and the artists themselves.
Layla added: “We hope that the Public Art Audio Trail will encourage people from Leeds and beyond onto our campus, to explore and interact with the incredible diversity of art and architecture here.
“For students, staff and visitors alike, we think the wonderful variety of interviews that we’ve assembled will open a fresh outlook on our University environment, provoke contemplation and offer a deeper understanding of our growing collection of public art.”
Three Piece Reclining Figure No.2: Bridge Prop
The sculpture, made of bronze in 1963, comprises of three segments representing a human reclining figure. The second part of the name of the sculpture: bridge prop, is because a view from eye level produces a series of arches and bridges.
‘Bridge Prop’ sits beneath one of the flying walkways linking the Roger Stevens and Irene Manton Buildings, which also resonates with Moore’s original inspiration for the work: the view underneath Waterloo Bridge from the Embankment, which he thought evoked the form of a figure.”
Henry Moore was born in Castleford, Yorkshire in 1898. He is best known for his modernist sculptures inspired by the human body and natural forms.
Following his service in the Army during World War One, Moore enrolled at Leeds School of Art (now Leeds Arts University) and then went on to study at the Royal College of Art in London.
Following the Second World War, Moore began focusing on sculpture. His work was frequently displayed publicly, as Moore was passionate about civic responsibility. He grew an international reputation as an artist, hosting exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art in 1946, Tate in London, 1968 and the Forte di Belvedere in Florence, 1972.
Further information
For more information, please contact Rebecca Hurrey at r.hurrey@leeds.ac.uk in the University of Leeds press office.
Picture credit: Mark Bickerdike
Free physical maps of the Trail can be collected from The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery and The Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery, in the University’s Parkinson Building. Each interview can be activated via a QR code on the label in front of each work, and the full playlist of interviews, plus Audio Description for each work, will be available to listen to via the University of Leeds Library Galleries Soundcloud.