The Hepworth Wakefield
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On the banks of the River Calder, The Hepworth Wakefield is a Yorkshire sculpture gallery celebrating artist Barbara Hepworth and showcasing modern and contemporary art.
Designed by the acclaimed David Chipperfield Architects, The Hepworth Wakefield is set within Wakefield’s historic waterfront, overlooking the River Calder and The Hepworth Wakefield Garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith. The gallery is named after Barbara Hepworth, one of the most important artists of the 20th century who was born and brought up in Wakefield.
Two permanent exhibitions explore Hepworth’s studio environment, her tools and materials, and the works she created in the later years of her life, including a unique collection of the artist’s working models for her bronze sculptures and surviving prototypes in plaster, aluminium and wood. The centrepiece is the prototype for Winged Figure, a commission from John Lewis for their flagship store on Oxford Street in London. At nearly six metres in height, this is the only full-size working model of Hepworth’s monumental commissions to survive.
The Hepworth Wakefield is also home to Wakefield’s collection of over 500 works of modern British and contemporary art. Established in 1923, recent acquisitions to the collection include works by Phyllida Barlow, Alvaro Barrington, Lisa Brice, Halima Cassell, Andrew Cranston, Li Hei Di, Jadé Fadojutimi, Mona Hatoum, Nour Jaouda, Hannah Quinlan and Rosie Hastings, Bridget Riley, Cerith Wyn Evans and Haegue Yang. Recent temporary exhibitions include Helen Chadwick, Andrew Cranston, Louise Giovanelli, Sheila Hicks, Kim Lim, Ronald Moody, Christina Quarles and Caroline Walker alongside a major group show celebrating 100 years of Surrealism.
The gallery runs engaging programmes for schools, families and local community groups to provide inspiring creative learning opportunities and a vibrant workshop, talks and events programme, including regular art fairs and markets.
With Yorkshire Sculpture Park only seven miles away and the Henry Moore Institute and Leeds Art Gallery just up the road in Leeds, you could take in all these places in one visit, spread over a day or two.
It was the winner of Art Fund Museum of the Year 2017.
Why you should go
Celebrate the work of sculptor Barbara Hepworth
Explore the history of modern sculpture
Rotating program of temporary exhibitions
Visitor information
Address
Gallery Walk, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 5AW
01924 247360
Opening times
Open Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Exhibition entry is £13, free for Members, Wakefield District residents and under 18s, half price for National Art Pass visitors. Ticket includes entry to all our gallery spaces on the day of visit.
