Sunday 15 May 2011

Date Night

I noticed that the Yorkshire Sculpture Park was having a late night opening on Friday evening, and so I thought that hubby and I might pop along and have our tea out (in Yorkshire, we have breakfast, dinner, tea and supper. This topic will get a post of its own one day!).
We had a wonderful evening. When we visited last time, it was a bank holiday and there were loads of folk around. On Friday evening, it felt as if we were the only people there. After our meal, we braved the short, sharp showers and had a good look around.
Some of the exhibits were lit up and looked amazing against the moody sky.

The big fella....
was closely inspected by the other big fella (who was trying to a find a word amongst all the letters)

Even in the rain, it was lovely to look around with not many other people being there.
The gorgeous walled garden hides a secret space hidden behind.
Rebecca Chesney had certainly done a dilligent observation of Bees on the estate. Through the doorway in the wall, into............
an amazing gallery made from stone and wonderful Oak.
I actually quite liked this collection of dead bees - yes, I know I'm weird, but they looked amazing and very interesting! Rebecca is doing some walks and talks about bees at the park in the next few weeks.
We spent ages in the underground gallery. last time, it had been too packed with visitors and we hadn't been able to visit each room. The room of Gongs, which you were encouraged to hit gently to make an ambient sound was awesome - to look at and to hear.
The Gongs are huge and there is a full circle of them - all engraved too.
We actually think that the huge lit up men on the walls in this gallery look like hubby. He often has moments when his head is in his hands too! Usually on Saturday evening listening to the footy results involving his Sheffield Wednesday I might add.
We hadn't seen these big heads before either.
We managed to have a good conversation with one of the curators as it wasn't too busy. She explained how the artist had carved these giant faces on Alabaster(with lasers). The faces are all of real people. They are for sale starting at £80,000 each and a fair few have sold. She also showed us where someone had left a huge footprint on one !!!
One of the rooms shows the concept of the designs in miniature. I would love to see these hearts made up large.
They also have a model of hubby on a large stick in the grounds that they illuminate at night. These were the concept models for this.

And this was the finished article. Not quite dark enough to show how great it looks illuminated.
We shall have another date night here when they do their next late night opening.

19 comments:

elsy said...

you are so lucky diane to have this so close...this is one of my favourite places and i really want to see this exhibition....fingers crossed

Kathy said...

I have to go! I have to go!!! It looks wonderful!
Yes, we have breakfast, dinner and tea here as well. My daughter was ribbed about it by southerners when she was at uni, but she stuck to her northern roots!
Have you read Stuart Maconie's thoughts on this subject?
xxx

Jo said...

It looks stunning, I must make a trip there soon. The website says that dogs are allowed in the grounds but not permitted in the buildings or galleries. Is there enough to see in the grounds without going in to the galleries?

Diane said...

We stick to our A.African roots and have breakfast, lunch and dinner :-)
I am not sure if I like this art or not, I will have to study it a bit more to make up my mind. Diane

Rosie said...

Wow, it all looks amazing! The gong room sounds wonderful and I like the illuminated models on plinths. We say breakfast, dinner and tea, too! Although when I was working we always had a lunch break. Supper, when I was young, was always a milky drink and biscuit before bed. Glad you were able to get to the illuminated evening:)

Michelle said...

Great photos, as always! The Bee Exhibition might be enough to sway my boyfriend into going and having a look, although as a beekeeper he prefers to see them alive!

Rowan said...

There's a good deal more here than I realised and like Rosie the Gong room really appeals to me.
I'm afraid I'm a breakfast, lunch and dinner type - must be my Cheshire heritage:)

Lisa said...

Those dead bees are a bit weird!
Lovely for the 2 of you to get out and about together.
Could you get one of those hearts in your back garden?!
Lisa xx

diane b said...

What a great place for a date. The sculptures are mind blowing and the illuminations must give it an entirely different look than during the day.

Janet said...

Looks fabulous ! very impressed !

A garden just outside Venice said...

Can't wait for your meals explanation then..I got a bit confused by all the comments above mine!
xxxxx

Susan T said...

You do get to some interesting places. Yes we have tea in Lancashire too. I didn't realise it was a Northern thing. I sometimes say 'Supper' so others would know what the heck I am talking about.

Vintage Tea Time said...

Looks brilliant - great photos! I love the YSP. Abby x

John Going Gently said...

coming upo to sheffield on the 25th
I would have loved to pop over to see this lot
lovley

Little Blue Mouse said...

Some great sculptures. The first photo of the letters men against the sky is fantastic.

Of course it's breakfast, dinner and tea! I can never understand how Southerners have 'lunch' and yet nationwide it's 'School dinners'.

periwinkle said...

wow that big man is just awesome - looks like a great place to visit .

Anonymous said...

Great exhibition, Diane, it had to be really impressing. The alabaster faces look creepy... and I'd love to hit one of those gongs, the sound must have been awesome.

Ms B. Thrift said...

Having just been on our hols in West Yorkshire (Stanbury near Howarth) we passed this on the way home and thought it looked fantastic, had we not got a car full of gear and 2 kiddies neatly packed within it all we should have really popped in, maybe I will incorporate it in to our next Yorkshire hols! BTW I think it's a fantastic idea for a date :)

Twiggy said...

Aren't these fab, Twiglet loves the big fella on the hill
twiggy x