I had not heard of Ronald Moody (1900-1984) until I viewed his work at The Hepworth but I was very impressed with what I saw. He was a Jamaican-born, self-taught sculptor, who originally trained as a dentist. Studying in London, he was inspired by the non-Western art he saw in the British Museum and decided to experiment with sculpture. He is most well-known for his wood carving, and there were several stunning pieces displayed in the exhibition.
The elmwood bust (above), created in 1936, is called Johanaan, after John the Baptist. It references not only Christian heritage but also the ancient art and spirituality of India and Egypt.
The bronze face above is called 'Madame de Muns' and the oak mask below is 'L'homme'. This shows how carefully he worked with the wood grain, using it as a distinctive feature. Here, the rings in the wood are centred on the forehead in the manner of a 'third eye', a symbol of enlightenment in Buddhist and Hindu philosophies.
I enjoy the way The Hepworth often displays complementary pieces alongside the main artworks. Here is a mask that may date as far back as 1400 BC:
Henry Moore's elmwood 'Reclining Figure' was created in 1936, and is of a similar date to Moody's pieces.
Beautiful wood sculptures.
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