Henry Moore @ Kew Gardens
You’re probably already familiar with Henry Moore. To those who aren’t, trust me when I say that you’d probably still be able to pick his artwork out of a lineup. His smooth and amorphous sculptures, neither traditional figurative nor pure abstract and typically depicting mother-and-child or reclining women, distinctly stand apart compared to what most people normally expect to see on a plinth.
His sculptures are so compellingly different that at one point Moore was the world's most successful living artist at auction. That was almost half a century ago. Times and trends have changed. Moore might have fallen out of favour but his sculptures still look as alien and inviting as they did in the three post-war decades in which he made them. That might be why Kew felt it was time to once again scatter 30 of his monumental works throughout their Gardens, just like they did two decades ago.
Similar to reviews Kew’s 2007 show the narrative is focussing on Moore’s wish for people to have a 360° experience of his works set in a natural landscape. Alas, the extended rain-free heatwave this summer means his big bronzes don’t always pop out visually against large swathes of brown and parched grass but it’s still a joy to see them, both from afar as you wander the grounds and then right up close as you circle around them to examine their size and texture.
If you’re new to Kew then following the trail is a great way to explore the 320-acre site and its beautiful Victorian era greenhouses, but be prepared for a long day. It took me 2.5 hours just to see all the Moore works, but that included a brief food break and a visit to the Shirley Sherwood gallery, which you definitely don’t want to miss. It contains “90 of Moore’s smaller-scale works, including sculpture, drawings, models and sketchbooks – some of which are rarely accessible to the public”. The indoor, air conditioned gallery is a great way to escape the heat (and/or rain) but there’s so much to see that I recommend you do this early in your visit while you still have the energy to focus on the many smaller details and accompanying wall text.
Plan your visit
‘Henry Moore: Monumental Nature’ runs until 31 Jan 2027.
Tickets from £21.85 adult / £1.75 child 4-15 / children under 4 free / discounts available
Visit kew.org and follow @kewgardens on Instagram for more info about the venue.
Visit the Henry Moore Wikipedia page and the Henry Moore Foundation for more info about the artist.
Optimise Your Visit
I recommend starting at the Lion Gate (15 min walk from Richmond Station) so you can tackle the outermost sculptures first. You’ll also arrive at the Shirley Sherwood gallery early on your journey, when you’ll be fresh and have the energy to study all the drawings and smaller details.
My route is below, which ends at the main entrance (Victoria Gate) enabling you to finish with an ice cream and a nosy round the gift shop before you exit.
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