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Henry Moore Studios & Gardens in Hertfordshire is currently closed for winter, reopening in April 2025.

Henry Moore Institute in Leeds will be closed over Christmas from 23 to 26 December and 30 December to 1 January (library and archive closed from 23 December to 1 January).

The City of Toronto proclaims 13 November Henry Moore Day, as AGO’s landmark Henry Moore Sculpture Centre turns 50

An older man, wearing a striped shirt and patterned tie, stands in a sculpture gallery with his hands on his hips. He looks thoughtful.

Site of countless first dates, artistic insights, and class trips, AGO invites Toronto to share their #MooreMemories

Henry Moore Foundation Sculpture Conservator James Copper to speak at the AGO on 13 November, 19:00

This autumn, the Art Gallery of Ontario’s (AGO) Henry Moore Sculpture Centre celebrates its 50th anniversary. A landmark of modern art and architecture, in recognition of the Centre’s enduring place in the city and the joy and inspiration it has brought to generations, the City of Toronto is proclaiming 13 November 2024 Henry Moore Day.

The AGO invites visitors to join them in marking the occasion by sharing their photos and recollections of time spent with Henry Moore’s art on social media, using the hashtag #MooreMemories.

Opened in the late autumn of 1974, the creation of the Henry Moore Sculpture Centre was inspired by the famed British artist’s unprecedented donation of 101 sculptures, 57 drawings, and 150 prints to the museum that same year. Motivated by a belief that “art is international,” Moore’s extraordinary gift made headlines around the world. Designed by Toronto architect John C. Parkin in partnership with Henry Moore expressly for the display of his art, today the Centre features rotating selections of his prints and drawings, plaster works, and examples of his bronze casts and direct carvings in stone and wood.

A black and white photo showing an older man, the sculptor Henry Moore, throwing his hands up in the air to demonstrate the size of the plaster sculpture he is stood next to.
Henry Moore with 'Upright Motive No. 1: Glenkiln Cross', 1955-56 (LH 377), plaster, at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto in 1974. Photo: Henry Moore Archive.

“Henry Moore’s deep commitment to direct carving, his close observation of the natural world, and forms that invite multiple points of view have made him among the most significant sculptors in the Western tradition.

“While Henry Moore’s bronze sculptures are known the world over, here in one light-filled space, visitors, artists, and students can explore many facets of his artistic output – seeing his large-scale plasters, drawings, prints, and the natural objects that inspired him. It’s a unique, beloved space in our city, and a destination for modern art. We look forward to the next 50.”

Adam Welch, Associate Curator, Modern Art, Art Gallery of Ontario.

Toronto’s connection to Henry Moore dates to 1966 when his monumental bronze sculpture Three Way Piece Number Two: Archer, better known simply as The Archer, was selected by Finnish architect Viljo Revell to complement the new City Hall building as a symbol of the city’s global outlook. A source of contention, after City Hall declined to purchase it, citizens raised the funds needed to acquire the sculpture, which still stands today.

Today, the AGO is home to the largest public collection of Moore’s art in the world.

An older man, wearing a striped shirt and patterned tie, stands in a sculpture gallery with his hands behind his back. He looks thoughtful.
Henry Moore with the plaster of 'Two Piece Reclining Figure No.1' 1959 (LH 457), plaster, at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, 1974. Photo: Henry Moore Archive.

“We are delighted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Henry Moore Sculpture Centre with our friends at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the City of Toronto.

“Henry Moore’s remarkable gift, coupled with his belief that art is meant to be shared and experienced across borders, continues to resonate deeply today. The Centre has become a cherished space for visitors from Toronto and around the world to encounter Moore’s powerful and evolving vision.”

Godfrey Worsdale, Director of the Henry Moore Foundation.

Facts about AGO’s collection:

  • AGO’s collection of Henry Moore artworks numbers more than 950 objects, including rare plasters, bronze sculptures, maquettes, drawings, prints, and sketchbooks. Currently on view in the Henry Moore Sculpture Centre are 59 artworks, among them sculptures, prints and drawings.
  • The AGO’s collection of Henry Moore artworks includes 78 rare plaster casts, near life sized models textured with a variety of household tools and sometimes hand colored. Henry Moore referred to them as “plaster originals. . .they are the actual works that one has done with one’s own hands.”
  • In 1974, Henry Moore oversaw the installation of his works personally. The heavy sculptures were placed on wheeled pedestals, allowing them to move easily. Former curator Alan G. Wilkinson would describe the process as “a game of musical Moores. . .the final result was a breathtaking and powerful display of sculpture.”
  • The AGO’s Conservator, Sculpture and Decorative Arts Lisa Ellis oversees the care of Large Two Forms in Grange Park. In addition to regular condition reporting, a protective coating is periodically applied to the surface of the monumental bronze sculpture, to prevent corrosion.
  • The Henry Moore Sculpture Centre has featured installations, performances, and interventions by artists including Geoffrey Farmer, Brian Jungen, Clayton Lee, and Simon Starling. Currently on display is the recently acquired sculpture Can’t we all just get along (2020) by American artist Hugh Hayden.
  • In addition to works by Henry Moore, the AGO’s collection of modern and contemporary art features more than 550 sculptures by artists from around the world, including Jean Arp, Constantin Brancusi, Han Dong, Barbara Hepworth, Pierre Huyghe, Brian Jungen, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Takis, Jackie Winsor, and Haegue Yang.

The Henry Moore Sculpture Centre is located on Level 2 of the AGO and is free with general admission. The AGO is always free for Ontarians under 25, AGO Members, Annual Passholders, and Indigenous Peoples. For more details on how to become a Member or Annual Passholder, visit ago.ca.

For media inquiries and more information, please contact:

Andrea-Jo Wilson, Manager, Public Relations
AGO
andrea-jo.wilson@ago.ca

Wendy So, Communications Officer
AGO
wendy.so@ago.ca

Notes to editors

 

About the AGO

Located in Toronto, the Art Gallery of Ontario is one of the largest art museums in North America, attracting approximately one million visitors annually. The AGO Collection of more than 120,000 works of art ranges from cutting-edge contemporary art to significant works by Indigenous and Canadian artists to European masterpieces. The AGO presents wide-ranging exhibitions and programs, including solo exhibitions and acquisitions by diverse and under-represented artists from around the world. The AGO is embarking on the seventh expansion it has undertaken since the museum was founded in 1900. When completed, the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery will increase exhibition space for the museum’s growing modern and contemporary collection.  With its groundbreaking Annual Pass program, the AGO is one of the most affordable and accessible attractions in the GTA.

Visit ago.ca to learn more.