Monumental Henry Moore sculpture 'The Arch' installed to celebrate the opening of the new Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden in London
Waltham Forest Council and The Henry Moore Foundation are delighted to unveil Henry Moore’s monumental sculpture The Arch at the entrance of the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden, a new public space for London opening on 18 July.
The garden has been designed to provide a welcoming environment celebrating the power of public art, with Moore’s 6-metre-high fibreglass sculpture installed on long-term loan from The Henry Moore Foundation for the next four years.
Henry Moore (1898-1986) was one of the most important British artists of the twentieth century and arguably the most internationally celebrated sculptor of the period. He is renowned for his semi-abstract monumental sculpture, which can be seen all over the world. Moore was the recipient of numerous public commissions throughout his lifetime, and increasingly created sculptures intended for public view as a firm believer in the significant role public art played in society.
The Arch has been described as the culmination of Moore’s thoughts on the body as architecture. Originally inspired by a small piece of bone, it plays on the artist’s lifelong fascination with Stonehenge, the triumphal arches of classical architecture, and naturally occurring structures such as sea arches and caves.
The location at Fellowship Square has been specially chosen to connect the artwork with Philip Dalton Hepworth’s recently refurbished Grade II listed Waltham Forest Town Hall and to welcome visitors into the newly landscaped gardens. Information panels tell the story of the gardens and sculpture, including the original five relief sculptures on the north face of the Town Hall by John Frances Kavanagh, which personify Work, Education, Fellowship, Motherhood and Recreation.
The opening of the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden together with the adjacent Sensory Garden, both on the site of a former car park, is part of Waltham Forest Council’s ongoing transformation of Fellowship Square as a new destination for residents and to welcome many more visitors to the borough.
About The Arch
The first cast of The Arch was made in fibreglass, for installation on the roof of the Forte de Belvedere in Florence during Moore’s celebrated 1972 exhibition, and subsequent casts in bronze were installed in dialogue with architecture in the US city of Columbus, Indiana and Hiroshima, Japan. In 1980, two years after his 80th birthday exhibition at the nearby Serpentine Gallery, Moore donated a large travertine marble version of The Arch to Kensington Gardens in London. Today a bronze version can be found at Moore’s home at the Henry Moore Studios & Gardens, Hertfordshire.
The collaboration was made possible by funding and support from Countryside Partnerships, working in partnership with Waltham Forest Council.
“Moore’s work not only stands as a formal manifestation of his creative vision, but in the public realm, it enters into a dialogue with both its surroundings and with us as the viewer. His steadfast belief in the power of art to inspire, provoke thought, and engage communities resonates profoundly in this exciting new development.
“As custodians of his legacy, we recognise the significance of placing his work in public space; enriching lives by fostering a greater interest in and appreciation of the nature and character of the world in which we live.”
Godfrey Worsdale, Director Henry Moore Foundation
“As part of our commitment to investing in and supporting arts and culture in our borough, we are delighted to have the acclaimed sculpture, The Arch, by Henry Moore, at Fellowship Square. A prominent British artist during Her late Majesty’s reign, the sculpture sits adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial gardens.
“This newly opened space is designed to promote health and well-being for all ages, and we hope that it brings tranquillity, reflection, and inspiration.”
Cllr Rosalind Dore, Cabinet Commissioner for Destinations, London Borough of Waltham Forest
For further information please contact
Matthew Brown
Sam Talbot
matthew@sam-talbot.com
Notes to Editors
About the Henry Moore Foundation
The Henry Moore Foundation was founded by the artist and his family in 1977 to encourage public appreciation of the visual arts.
Today we support innovative sculpture projects, devise an imaginative programme of exhibitions and research worldwide, and preserve the legacy of Moore himself: one of the great sculptors of the 20th century, who did so much to bring the art form to a wider audience.
We run two venues, in Leeds and Hertfordshire, showing a mix of Moore’s own work and other sculpture.
We also fund a variety of sculpture projects through our Henry Moore Grants and Research programmes and we have a world-class collection of artworks which regularly tour both nationally and internationally.
A registered charity, we award grants to arts organisations around the world, with a mission to bring great sculpture to as many people as possible.