A striking 2-metre graffiti mural of celebrated sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth has emerged on a wall in St Ives, Cornwall, directly adjacent to the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. The artwork, attributed to Bristol-based graffiti artist Stewy, has quickly become a talking point in the town synonymous with Hepworth's legacy.
The mural is located on the former Palais de Danse building, a significant site in Hepworth's creative life. She acquired the former cinema and dance hall in 1961, transforming it into a studio where she produced many of her most iconic works, including 'Single Form', which now stands outside the United Nations building in New York. The building was later gifted to Tate by her estate in 2015 and is currently undergoing conversion into a community art space.
Stewy, known for his distinctive stencil work, also created ten smaller cardboard versions of the Hepworth image, marked with his signature. These were left at various locations across St Ives, with one notable piece anonymously placed at the Penwith Gallery, where it is now displayed alongside Hepworth's 'Magic Stone'.
The reaction from both residents and tourists has been overwhelmingly positive. Polly Jones, a local artist, described the work as "pretty cool," noting how Hepworth appears to be looking up at the building where she once stored her art. Ann Swan, a visitor from Loughborough, commented on the instant recognisability of the figure, stating, "She's such an icon in this town and as soon as you see it she's instantly recognisable. It looks like she belongs here."
Tate, which owns the building, has indicated that it is "content for it to be left in place for now" while engaging in discussions with Cornwall Council regarding the next steps. This approach reflects a sensitive navigation of unsanctioned public art on a culturally significant site. Hepworth, originally from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, died in 1975 at the age of 72 following an accidental fire at her studio.