The Yorkshire Sculpture Park in West Bretton, Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England (grid reference SE282131) is an open-air gallery showing work by UK and international artists, including Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. It was the UK's first sculpture park based on the temporary open air exhibitions organised in London parks from the 1940s to 1970s by the Arts Council and London County Council (and later Greater London Council). The 'gallery without walls' has a changing exhibition programme, rather than permanent display as seen in other UK sculpture parks such as Grizedale Forest.
Since the 1990s, Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) has made use of indoor exhibition spaces, initially a Bothy Gallery (in the curved Bothy Wall) and a temporary tent-like structure called the Pavilion Gallery. After an extensive refurbishment and expansion, YSP has added an underground gallery space in the Bothy garden, and exhibition spaces at Longside (the hillside facing the original park). Its programme consists of contemporary and modern sculpture (from Rodin and Bourdelle through to living artists). British sculpture is well represented in the past exhibition programme and semi-permanent installations. Many British sculptors famous the 1950s and 1960s, but since forgotten, have been the subject of solo exhibitions at YSP including Lynn Chadwick,[1] Austin Wright, Philip King, Eduardo Paolozzi and Kenneth Armitage. Exhibitions tend to be monographic - rather than group or thematic.
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The park is situated in the grounds of Bretton Hall an 18th century estate which was a family home until mid 20th century when it became a College of Further and Higher Education.[2] follies, landscape features and architectural structures from the 18th century can be seen around the park including the deer park and deer shelter (recently converted by American sculptor James Turrell into an installation), an ice house, and a camellia house. Artists working at YSP, such as Andy Goldsworthy in 2007, take their inspiration from the architectural, historical or natural environment.[3]