Don’t do any more Henry Moore

This exhibition is curated by Donald Smith.

This exhibition included Henry Moore’s sculpture Two Part Reclining Figure 1959, archives relating to the 'life' of the sculpture - its purchase by Chelsea School of Art in 1964 its various movements for exhibition and it's placement in three separate architectural settings by it's owners, Chelsea School of Art (Chelsea College of Art and Design). The text documents tell a story of diplomatic game play and institutional and financial machinations. Whilst the sculpture itself remains ostensibly the same, the photographic material taken in 1964 by Tony Rogers and in 1996 and 2010 by myself, reveal developments in the technical equipment and workwear employed in the ever more professionalised world of art handling.

The sculpture itself was shown in an unusual state for display – still wrapped in blankets and webbing and on wooden transport pallets rather than a plinth. This gave viewers of the exhibition rare insights into the back story of the display of sculpture.

I commissioned and co-directed a new film of the Actor Dudley Sutton performing his poem Don't Do Any More Henry Moore especially for the exhibition. The exhibition was made with permission from the Henry Moore Foundation who expressed great interest, documentation for the show now rests within their archive.