Visiting The Hepworth Wakefield

The Hepworth Wakefield is a major art museum that has a strong focus on modern and contemporary art.

It is a large modern gallery that was opened in 2011, although its roots go back to the original Wakefield Art Gallery that was founded in 1923.

The gallery is named after the sculptor, Barbara Hepworth, who was born and raised in Wakefield.

Looking across the River Calder to The Hepworth art gallery. (Photo: DS Pugh [CC BY-SA 2.0])

What to see at The Hepworth Wakefield

The gallery displays an art collection that spans from the 16th century to the present day, although the focus is on contemporary and modern art. It includes works by Anthony Caro, Jacob Epstein, Ivon Hitchens, David Hockney, LS Lowry, Henry Moore, Paul Nash, Ben Nicholson, Graham Sutherland and, of course, Barbara Hepworth.

Highlights of the collection include works by local West Yorkshire artists Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore including Hepworth’s Mother and Child (1934) and Moore’s Reclining Figure (1936). It also features 44 plaster and aluminium working models donated by Barbara Hepworth’s family.

Around two-thirds of the art on display is from The Hepworth’s own collection and this is supplemented by a programme of temporary exhibitions.

The purpose-built gallery is a modern brutalist-style building that has polarised local opinion. The design allows the galleries to be lit by natural light and the building is an imposing sight when viewed from across the River Calder; however, some people feel that the modern building is not reflective of the local area.

Temporary exhibitions at The Hepworth Wakefield

The Hepworth Wakefield hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions. Current and planned exhibitions include:

Elizabeth Fritsch: Otherworldly Vessels
This exhibition (until 22 February 2026) surveys the work of ceramicist Elizabeth Fritsch (born 1940), spanning the 1970s to 2013. Over 100 pieces will be shown, many from her private collection. Fritsch trained as a musician before turning to ceramics in 1966. She studied under figures including Hans Coper. Her work reflects interests in music, literature and architecture. Associated with the ‘New Ceramics’ movement, Fritsch helped shift British studio pottery in new directions during the late 20th century.

Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red – Saved for the Nation
This exhibition (until March 2026) marks the arrival of Barbara Hepworth’s 1943 sculpture, acquired through a public appeal. The exhibition presents the work with related archive material, including its stringing map, to show aspects of Hepworth’s process. The acquisition allows the gallery to present a fuller account of her career.

Kira Freije
This exhibition (until 4 May 2026) marks Kira Freije’s (b.1985, London) first major UK solo show. It features around 20 life-size figures arranged in small groups, suggesting fragmented narratives or emotional states. Freije sculpts the figures using welded stainless steel, aluminium casts of hands and feet, and materials like brass, copper and fabric. Faces are cast from people significant to her life. The exhibition incorporates atmospheric lighting and glass lamps made by the artist, creating an immersive, reflective space.

Playing with Fire: Edmund de Waal and Axel Salto
This exhibition (until 4 May 2026) brings Axel Salto’s ceramics to the UK, curated by artist and author Edmund de Waal. It includes Salto’s expressive stoneware and rarely seen drawings, illustrations and writings. Salto, active in the early 20th century, worked across disciplines and was influenced by modernist ideas. A new installation by de Waal reflects on Salto’s legacy. The exhibition is organised in partnership with CLAY Museum of Ceramic Art, Denmark and Kunstsilo, Norway.

A Living Collection
This exhibition (until March 2027) presents recent additions to Wakefield’s art collection, many displayed for the first time. Most works were acquired in the last 18 months. The collection, founded in 1923, focuses on contemporary art and its relevance to modern life. Works by artists including Li Hei Di, Nour Jaouda, Eileen Cooper and Andrew Cranston will feature. A selection of ceramics, acquired through awards, donations and bequests, will also be included in the display.

Mrinalini Mukherjee
This retrospective exhibition (23 May–1 November 2026) presents work from across Mukherjee’s 40-year career. It includes fibre pieces, ceramic and bronze sculpture, and works on paper. The exhibition considers how she combined abstraction and figuration with influences from craft and design. It follows a related group show at the Royal Academy of Arts in autumn 2025.

Lewis Hammond
This exhibition (23 May–1 November 2026) is Lewis Hammond’s first museum presentation in the UK and features new paintings made for The Hepworth Wakefield. Hammond’s work uses dark tones and draws on myth, personal experience and wider social themes. The display considers ideas of home and belonging, shaped by his years in Berlin and his return to the UK.

Ida Ekblad: World’s Largest Metaphor
World’s Largest Metaphor (21 November 2026–1 April 2027) presents new oil paintings and large-scale sculptures by Ida Ekblad, whose work spans painting and sculpture. It highlights her use of reused materials and varied visual sources. The display includes metal, glass and bronze works developed through a long, layered process.

Marc Chagall: The Circus
This exhibition (21 November 2026–1 April 2027) presents Chagall’s circus lithographs with related paintings and archival material. It looks at how performers, animals and staged scenes became recurring motifs in his work. The display reflects on his early encounters with travelling circuses, his memories of Vitebsk and his interest in theatre and design.