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Big and beautiful
Many do not realise the University of Leeds was at the forefront of cutting-edge, modernist architecture in Britain during the sixties.
‘The New Monumentality’ is a new exhibition at the Henry Moore Institute (showing until 30 August) that explores the attraction of post-war buildings for three European artists born in the heyday of monumental architecture.
Gerard Byrne (Dublin) and Dorit Margreiter (Vienna) will present newly commissioned work directly inspired by the University’s 1960s and 70s architecture, designed by Barbican architects Chamberlin, Powell & Bon, who led the way in bold, experimental design thinking.
The third artist, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster (Paris), who exhibited at the Tate Modern last year, will show a recent work filmed in Brazil. The Henry Moore Institute is open daily from 10am to 5.30pm and until 9pm on Wednesdays, admission is free.
For details see www.henry-moore.ac.uk or phone 0113 246 7467.
In the blood
Three generations of women artists from the same Yorkshire family are the focus of a new exhibition opening at the Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery on 30 June.
Katharine Holmes is a nationally-recognised contemporary landscape painter who continues to paint her grandmother’s beloved Yorkshire Dales landscapes, but with an abstract sensibility – mixing the very earth, grass and debris into her paintings.
Constance Pearson is particularly beloved for her illustrations in Arthur Raistrick’s 1947 book Malham and Malham Moor. Philippa Holmes’ paintings deal with domestic scenes of her life in post-war Malham.
The exhibition runs until 4 September. The gallery is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm, and Saturdays 12noon to 4pm, admission is free. See www.leeds.ac.uk/gallery/events.htm for details, or phone 0113 343 2778.
Great Yorkshire Show
Scientists from the University of Leeds will be showing two exhibits at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show, held at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate from 14 to 16 July.
Learn more about Dr Alison Dunn’s efforts to protect the native white-clawed crayfish from invading signal crayfish, and what you can do to conserve their habitats at home.
Meanwhile, professor of pig science Helen Miller and postgraduate student Lucy Brunton will present an exhibit that asks, ‘Does the method of pig production affect human health?’
For details see www.greatyorkshireshow.com or phone 0142 354 1222.
Pianoforte showcase
Eighty of the world’s top pianists, aged 15 to 28, will be performing in the University’s Great Hall during this year’s 16th Leeds International Pianoforte Competition, which begins on 26 August.
Since being founded by Dame Fanny Waterman in 1963, the competition has launched the careers of many great pianists, including Michael Roll, Dmitri Alexeev, Mistuko Uchida, András Schiff and Sunwook Kim.
The competition consists of four stages, all open to the public, culminating with a final BBC-televised performance in Leeds Town Hall with the Hallé Orchestra from 11 to 12 September. This will be followed by a gala recital in the Great Hall on 13 September, where the six finalists will perform pieces from their competition repertoire.
The winner will receive a prize of £15,000 donated by the Audrey and Stanley Burton Charitable Trust, and the first runner-up will receive £12,000 donated by the Marjorie and Arnold Ziff Charitable Foundation.
Tickets are on sale from 1 July at www.leedsconcertseason.com or from the Carriageworks Box Office, Millennium Square, Leeds, phone 0113 224 3801.
