From Kalliopi Lemos to Henry Moore - the latest open air artworks at Yorkshire Sculpture Park are a welcome addition

And, for those who are missing visiting art galleries and exhibitions at the moment it can continue to offer some much-needed solace in these difficult times – its outdoor areas remain open during this third national lockdown.

There are 500 acres of parkland to explore where you can enjoy nature and at the same time discover artworks by Barbara Hepworth, Anthony Caro, Damien Hirst, Andy Goldsworthy, Sean Scully, Ai Wei-Wei, and Elizabeth Frink, to name just a few.

“I think we are needed now more than ever,” says curator Sarah Coulson who has worked at the YSP for 20 years. “Throughout the past few months, it has been the arts that have kept people going – that is what we have turned to. And here people can access art outdoors and feel safe.

"Art in the open air has obviously always been an important part of what we do – it is where we started, so in a way we have kind of gone right back to our beginnings. People are really enjoying the opportunity to get outside, to have that change of scenery and engage with art at the same time.”

There are always around 80 sculptures and installations to see in the open air. The collection is made up of long and short-term loans, site-specific commissions and gifts from artists and individuals.

The outdoor display is refreshed and added to on a regular basis, so there is always something new to see, and in the run-up to the festive period at the end of last year several exciting new works were unveiled which will be on display throughout the winter months and beyond.

Some of the pieces are by artists who have a long association with the YSP, but one is from an artist whose work has not been shown there before.

Kalliopi Lemos’s work Bag of Aspirations 2018, which takes centre stage on the Formal Garden Terrace, is a magnificent large-scale work, a scaled-up version of the famous much sought-after and extremely expensive Birkin handbag created by the French fashion house Hermès. The piece makes a bold statement about the values and desires of modern consumer culture.

“Kalliopi is a fascinating artist – I really hope that we can show more of her work at some point,” says Coulson. “She is making work which is engaged in quite challenging political issues, exploring what it means to be a woman in today’s society, about being pulled in many different directions – and she has been creating pieces that deal with human rights and other pressing issues in a visually exciting way.”

Bag of Aspirations highlights how the yearning for material possessions in the developed world can sometimes eclipse basic humanity – and how within that context some objects take on a significance and value that outstrips care and concern for the lives of others.

“There is an expressly political undertone to the piece,” says Coulson. “The suggestion is that the bag would be valued more than the lives of all those displaced people fleeing war and conflict.”

Technically the work is extremely impressive – the folds and creases of the leather, which look so soft, supple and textured, have been forged in steel. “It is an incredibly well-made sculpture, a real visual treat and it works on so many levels,” says Coulson. “Kalliopi uses this term ‘tools of endearment’ and it sums up the interesting dichotomy that you get in her work.”

Other works on display include the return of two much-loved colossal works by Henry Moore – Large Two Forms and Large Spindle Piece – situated in the YSP’s Country Park, one of Moore’s favourite areas because of its rolling hills and far-reaching views.

“It has been wonderful to have those pieces back here,” says Coulson. “They are comforting and familiar and I think that is so important at the moment. Those pieces are inspiring too, because they are a bedrock of where we grew from, and they look incredible out there in the wintry landscape.”

Towards the bottom of the valley is another of the recently arrived pieces – William Tucker’s large-scale sculpture Monumental Dancer After Degas 2018 which is actually bronze but looks like a huge, solid rock formation that absolutely belongs in the rugged landscape of the Park.

The YSP has a long association with Tucker whose work has been shown there many times and featured in its opening exhibition in 1977. “He is a really important figure in the history and development of sculpture in Britain,” says Coulson.

“We try and tell the story of sculpture here and how it has developed and changed and we try to reference some of those artists who have had a key influence in that story.”

Back in the formal garden Edward Allington’s steel sculpture From the Sex of Metals IV combines geometric and classical architectural forms, while in the middle of the pond sits Gary Hume’s delightful Snowman, Two Balls Twinkle White. Simple and effective, it conjures up happy memories of childhood.

“That spot on the pond is beautiful,” says Coulson. “It really highlights all those lovely things about sculpture in the open air – the reflection on the water, the trees behind it, the element of surprise when you come across it.”

In addition to these is the current exhibition of work by acclaimed Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, which had only been open for a short time before the first UK lockdown began. The good news is that it has been extended again and will now run until January next year.

Each visit to the Park offers a new experience. I have been visiting for many years – most recently in the period between Christmas and New Year when the snowy ground and bright blue sky provided the perfect backdrop for viewing art in the open air – and every time I come away having noticed something new or seen a favourite piece of work in a slightly different way because of the changing seasons.

Your response to and engagement with a sculpture is influenced by the important part played by the surrounding landscape, and the weather. The artwork may be bathed in sunshine, behind a curtain of rain, under a layer of snow – and its narrative will alter accordingly.

Whatever happens over the next few weeks and months, the YSP curatorial team will continue to plan for the future. “We are raring to go and we are being as adaptable and flexible as possible – we always make sure we have a plan B,” says Coulson.

“There is a lot to look forward to in the summer, I’m especially excited about the Annie Morris exhibition, which is so joyous and exactly what people will need to lift their spirits. We are pressing on, making online content available, ensuring that people feel that connection with us. We will keep going, and we are resilient.”

The grounds at Yorkshire Sculpture Park remain open. Advance booking is essential. For details visit ysp.org.uk/visit