Nestled on a windy hillside near Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s summit, Clare Lilley, the director and chief curator, and myself find ourselves immersed in the natural landscape. We enter a piece created by British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, a drystone wall encircling the trunk of a large lime tree, leaving behind the noise of leaves rustling and wind crackling through the grass. In this serene and cool environment, Lilley spots a herd of cows approaching her four-wheel drive. “They like to lick the windows,” she remarks, genuinely concerned. “You’re not afraid of cows, are you? We can shoo them away.” Herding cows is not typically taught in art schools, but YSP is anything but ordinary. As Europe’s largest sculpture park, covering 500 acres of rolling fields, moorland, and woods above Wakefield, it showcases over 100 large-scale modern and contemporary installations. Some pieces find refuge within indoor galleries, while most brave the elements.
The fusion with the natural surroundings is an essential façade considering the monumental feat of safeguarding millions of pounds worth of art and ensuring an accessible experience for the park’s 400,000 yearly visitors. “It’s not something you can learn in textbooks,” Lilley admits as we return to the cow-licked car. “We constantly learn on the job. It’s exciting!” On our search for an Antony Gormley piece, Lilley and Simon Skirrow, the technical manager, discuss the challenges faced by the team. The installation process constitutes a significant headache due to the size and weight of large sculptures and the challenging terrain. Alongside its valuable permanent collection, YSP relies heavily on its all-terrain forklift truck. Most sculptures require massive concrete bases embedded into the ground and camouflaged with turf. These bases deter thieves and prevent the sculptures from shifting or succumbing to the winds that often batter the region. Skirrow states, “We often consult with structural engineers and lifting specialists. Understanding the center of gravity in a massive chunk of marble is an art in itself.”
Weather conditions pose another concern. Permanent and temporary exhibits alike must endure nine months or more of exposure to freezing temperatures, scorching heat, rain, snow, and fog. Bronze sculptures naturally oxidize due to their copper content, but with proper maintenance and an annual wax coating, they remain sturdy. Painted steel sculptures, on the other hand, can wear down, chip, and flake, while porous stone is prone to freezing and cracking. The challenge of preserving sculptures’ integrity is further compounded by daylight’s destructive effects. While museums strictly control illumination levels indoors, outdoor art at YSP falls victim to the elements. Ultraviolet light, Moris explains, holds immense destructive power, causing color fading and altering chemicals, leading to paint deterioration and rust formation. Artists can be consulted for repairs on their living works, but conservators often rely on estates for documentation regarding the materials, finishes, and original colors used in historic pieces.
Ideally, damage would never occur, and so museums and galleries follow rigorous inspection routines. YSP exemplifies this practice, with each work being condition-checked daily to monitor any changes and regularly cleaned. Skirrow remarks, “Maintaining this place is quite a task.” The creative application of cleaning methods becomes imperative in unique cases, such as Roger Hiorns’ installation Seizure. The former council flat’s interior is treated with a dense coating of peacock-blue copper sulphate crystals, making meticulous cleaning necessary. Moris shares, “Visitors bring mud, dust, hair, and dead skin. The accumulation of human matter is unbelievable.”
Some works are intentionally designed to remain untouched. Lilley leads the way to an installation by Heather Peak and Ivan Morison, a circular wooden pavilion nestled among birch trees near a lake. Over time, the structure will decay and decompose, gradually returning to nature. This symbiotic relationship with the environment constitutes a captivating aspect of art installations at YSP.
While YSP offers diverse landscapes encompassing dense woodland, lakes, rivers, wild grass fields, and manicured gardens, the ever-advancing plant life poses a constant challenge. Nettles, weeds, brambles, grass, and ivy consume anything left untended for long. Stone becomes covered in algae and moss. Tree roots shift beneath sculptures, destabilizing them. In addition, the effects of the climate crisis have started to impact YSP, with storm damage from heavy rainfall causing problems last winter and precautions against wildfires during the scorching summer.
In our exploration, we finally locate the Gormley sculpture deep within the forest. The slender, rust-colored human figure, made from cast iron, is perched high on the sawn-off stump of a dead tree. Or rather, a cluster of trees. Lilley explains, “Last time, wasps hollowed out the tree from the inside. We had to work with Antony to find a new location.” The presence of wildlife adds another layer of complexity to the preservation efforts. Henry Moore requested his sculptures be placed in fields with grazing livestock, which creates its own set of challenges. Moris admits, “Sheep can cause issues since their fleeces contain lanolin, which can alter the bronze’s color.” Bats have also proven to be a nuisance, nesting inside Ai Weiwei’s artwork. Lilley says, “The bat expert handled the situation well.”
Even birds play a role in risk prevention, although their droppings pose a toxic threat due to their high acid content. Moris notes, “Birds seem to take delight in sitting on trees positioned above valuable artwork. It’s essential to clean the droppings promptly as part of our maintenance plan.” Nevertheless, not everything can be planned for. As Lilley and I drive towards a remote corner of the park, we encounter a group of 11-year-olds on a school trip, eagerly heading towards the Damien Hirst sculptures. Lilley waves cheerfully, but Moris candidly acknowledges the lurking dangers. YSP stations supervisors at high-risk points, but many sculptures remain unattended. Moris observes, “It’s not just children. People of all ages love touching the artwork, despite our efforts to discourage it. When you have 100,000 people touching something each year, it takes a toll.” To make matters worse, sunscreen residue on visitors’ fingers exacerbates the damage.
YSP embodies a truly unique park experience, with its fusion of art and nature. While the challenges of preservation and maintenance are arduous, the dedicated team at YSP embraces the process with a mix of creativity and pragmatism, continuously learning to preserve the beauty and integrity of their priceless collection.
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