One of the reasons I wanted to visit Münster in December 2016 was to see the extensive exhibition of Yorkshire-born sculptor Henry Moore's work at The LWL-Museum für Kunst und Kultur.
Henry Moore (1898-1986) was one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. The special exhibition, staged in collaboration with The Tate, revolves around the question of why he inspired so many artists in Germany and internationally. Moore was clearly able to dominate the field of sculpture to such an extent that he brought the next generation of artists to stand alongside him.
Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Dave Taylor, poses with Henry Moore's sculpture "Three Way Piece 2 - The Archer"
An unconventional War Artist, Moore's sketches of drawings of people sheltering in the London Underground during The Blitz were hugely acclaimed and it was great to see some of these on show in Münster.
What we found exceptional, listening to the curator of the exhibition, was how Henry Moore was employed as a symbol of "post-war optimism" by The British Council, exhibiting in the British Pavillion at the Venice Biennale in 1948, the first since the war, and again in 1952.
l-r Raynir Vilhjalmsson, Bürgermeisterin Beate Vilhjalmsson, Lord Mayor Dave Taylor, Lady Mayoress Susan Ridley.
An unconventional War Artist, Moore's sketches of drawings of people sheltering in the London Underground during The Blitz were hugely acclaimed and it was great to see some of these on show in Münster.
What we found exceptional, listening to the curator of the exhibition, was how Henry Moore was employed as a symbol of "post-war optimism" by The British Council, exhibiting in the British Pavillion at the Venice Biennale in 1948, the first since the war, and again in 1952.
