A day out

Life has quietened down a bit now.  Just as well as I have a little bit of a cold (courtesy of youngest son I think - very generous of him!)

Yesterday I took my eldest out on an art 'field trip'; we went over to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park for the day.  The traffic wasn't too bad (of course going round Manchester could have been better) and considering the forecast we were so lucky with the weather - son remarked that he had never been there before when the weather was just right - in the past it has either been too hot to move or grey and a bit chilly.

We didn't time the trip quite right as the Longside Gallery and the smaller galleries were closed between exhibitions (we had originally wanted to go last week when they were still open but just couldn't fit it in).  But the main exhibition by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa was what we wanted to see and it certainly didn't disappoint!  I have a few photographs of the outside pieces which are imposing enough but my absolute favourite were the Alabaster Heads displayed in eerie darkness in the Underground Gallery - you will have to go and see those yourselves.  I thoroughly recommend a visit if you can make it!

You can get an idea of the size of this by the fact that that is ny 6'3" son standing inside...

 

We were so lucky with the weather - the sunshine threw beautiful shadows.  It did rain, but only while we were inside eating lunch!

 

The writing covering these figures spelled out composer's names.  We spent a while seeing how many we recognised...

Again I loved the shadows thrown by these pieces, and the way the lettering flowed out onto the slab to support the figure.

There is a Jaume Plensa head at Sutton Manor near St Helens, towering over the M62 - we often drive past it on the way to Ikea (and other places, but mainly Ikea!).  The trees grow around it in such a way that you only catch glimpses of it (especially if you are driving) and for a while I thought I was imagining it because nobody else seemed to have noticed it.  But it is definitely there - I think our next 'field trip' will be to go and see it up close.

David Nash at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Yesterday we actually managed to have a family day out together - quite a rare occurrence!  So, only an hour later than planned (due to oversleeping teenagers, and the forgetting of cameras) we set off to see the David Nash exhibition at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.  This has been the largest exhibition of his work ever and there was so much to see.  The larger pieces were amazing, monumental, but there were plenty of smaller pieces to see as well.  Wood is such a beautiful material and he manages to bring out its character so well.  Particularly moving were the pieces he made in response to the 911 twin towers disaster.

The exhibition closes tomorrow, but if you do get the chance to see some of his work, do go!

 

The weather was quite kind to us - it was grey but not too cold and it didn't rain - and there was time for a quick game of pooh-sticks on the way back through the park!

The motorways were a bit congested on the way back due to a crash on the M56 so we stopped of at the Trafford Centre for a bit of a nose around and a very nice tapas meal. Which was great compensation for those of us who were less keen on the art... so a great day out was had by all!