Art Review: Henry Moore - Late Large Forms @ Gagosian Gallery

Tabish Khan
By Tabish Khan Last edited 141 months ago
Art Review: Henry Moore - Late Large Forms @ Gagosian Gallery
Three Piece Sculpture: Vertebrae, Large Two Forms 1966 and Reclining Connected Forms. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Three Piece Sculpture: Vertebrae, Large Two Forms 1966 and Reclining Connected Forms. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Large Two Forms. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Large Two Forms. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Large Spindle Piece and Two Piece Reclining Figure: Cut. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Large Spindle Piece and Two Piece Reclining Figure: Cut. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Large Four Piece Reclining Figure and Two Piece Reclining Figure No. 2. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Large Four Piece Reclining Figure and Two Piece Reclining Figure No. 2. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Large Two Forms. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Large Two Forms. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Maquette Shelf. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery
Maquette Shelf. Photo: Mike Bruce. Courtesy of Gagosian Gallery

It might seem like any park in Central London isn't complete without a sculpture by Henry Moore. With so much of his work surrounding us, what can the Gagosian gallery show that we haven't seen before?

By bringing a set of large sculptures indoors, the perspective shifts completely. Even though the Gagosian has done its best to create a large space to accommodate these pieces, their sheer size is imposing and the silence of the gallery lets you appreciate them without the background din of passing traffic.

All of these works are classic Moore, using simple shapes and sweeping lines to create forms that the rational mind can't help but translate into recognisable subjects – whether it be a reclining figure, a snake or a docked spaceship (though only sci-fi fans are likely to see the latter).

The works on a shelf featuring model prototypes for his larger works bear such a strong resemblance to bones that they will make you re-think the larger sculptures. You'll start to see hidden anatomy in all of them.

The largest piece and the centrepiece of this exhibition is merely titled Large Two Forms and the small gap between the two forms creates such intimacy and tension that to stand between them feels like trespass.

Just when you thought you'd seen all that Moore has to offer, the transportation of his larger works indoors provides a different perspective that pulls you back in.

Henry Moore: Late Large Forms is on display at the Gagosian Gallery, 6-24 Brittania Street, WC1X 9JD until 18 August. Entrance is free.

You can see more Moore in Picasso and Modern British Art at the Tate Britain, where he's compared to the master of Modern art. This exhibition runs until 15 July.

Last Updated 02 June 2012