‘Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life’ will return the sculptor’s work to the city where he lived and worked

‘Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life’ is scheduled to run from 2 October 2026 to 28 February 2027. The exhibition brings the work of the Jamaican-born, West London–based sculptor back to the city where he lived, worked and carved for more than half a century.

Touring from The Hepworth Wakefield, the major exhibition showcases the breadth of Moody’s practice across sculpture, poetry, writing and audio broadcasts. It offers an expansive view of one of the most important yet historically overlooked artists of the twentieth century. The exhibition traces Moody’s practice from the wooden figures he made in the 1930s to his postwar experimentation with concrete and resin, revealing a lifelong commitment to exploring human experience through form, rhythm and material.

Moody was initially trained in dentistry, before encounters with Egyptian sculpture at the British Museum led him to teach himself carving. He developed a sculptural language that blended Modernism, spirituality and a deep engagement with global mythologies. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Moody developed an artistic language shaped by influences from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and the ancient world; as an important member of the Caribbean Artists Movement, he explored culture, identity and exchange throughout his work.

The exhibition also features Legacy Projects, a programme of contemporary artist commissions created for Orleans House Gallery. New works by Kedisha Coakley, Dexter McLean and Kat Francois respond to Moody’s ideas and artistic legacy, continuing a conversation about his place within British and international art history today. ‘Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life’ is organised by The Hepworth Wakefield in collaboration with Orleans House Gallery, with artistic and curatorial collaboration from Kedisha Coakley.

The opening evening includes ‘Sculpting Sound: Sonic Contours’, curated by Bumi Thomas and featuring Tunde Jegede and Ruby Aspinall, who will respond to Moody’s sculptures through an improvised dialogue between kora and harp.