A new exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, offers visitors the chance to see 30 of Henry Moore’s large-scale bronze sculptures set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most celebrated botanical collections. Henry Moore: Monumental Nature runs until 31 January and is designed to highlight the sculptor’s lifelong fascination with organic forms, from seeds and bones to the curves of the human body.
Among the works on display is Reclining Mother and Child, a piece that evokes a quiet sense of intimacy as light and shadow shift across its polished surface. Others, such as Large Spindle Piece, call to mind the shape of a seed, while Sheep Piece echoes a ewe and her lamb. Three Piece Sculpture: Vertebrae clearly references the human spine, and Double Oval uses two large holes to frame views of the Palm House and surrounding treetops, encouraging visitors to see both the art and the landscape in new ways.
Inside the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, a complementary exhibition delves into Moore’s creative process. His etchings of an elephant skull are particularly striking, using dense, wiggly lines to suggest bone growth and create a sense of depth. Drawings of trees also feature, offering insight into how the artist translated natural structures into abstract forms.
From 5 June, Kew’s sister site Wakehurst near Haywards Heath will host four Moore sculptures as part of Henry Moore and More, a show that runs until May 2027. The wilder landscape of Wakehurst, with its meadows, woodlands and wetlands, provides a different context for the works. The site is also home to the Millennium Seed Bank, and visitors can explore the Elizabethan mansion where seed storage and testing began before the modern facility opened.
The exhibition has been organised in partnership with the Henry Moore Foundation. No specific research findings or peer-reviewed studies are associated with this show, but the presentation builds on decades of scholarship examining Moore’s relationship with nature. For UK audiences, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience major outdoor sculpture in a world-famous garden setting, with free entry for Kew members.