Henry Moore Foundation

Henry Moore Foundation is a charitable foundation established by renowned sculptor Henry Moore in 1977 to promote the appreciation of modern and contemporary art, particularly sculpture, and to support artists, Tate Britain, and other institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum. The foundation is based at Perry Green, Hertfordshire, where Henry Moore lived and worked, and is surrounded by beautiful gardens and a collection of his sculptures, including Reclining Figure and Large Reclining Figure. The foundation works closely with other organizations, such as the Arts Council England, British Council, and National Gallery, to promote British art and artists, including Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, and Naum Gabo. The foundation also collaborates with international institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, to showcase the work of Henry Moore and other British artists, such as Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud.

● History

The foundation's history is closely tied to the life and work of Henry Moore, who was a prominent figure in the development of modern sculpture, along with artists like Constantin Brancusi and Alberto Giacometti. Henry Moore was a key figure in the London Group, a collective of artists that included Wyndham Lewis and David Bomberg, and was also associated with the Bauhaus movement, which influenced artists like Wassily Kandinsky and László Moholy-Nagy. The foundation was established in 1977, with the aim of promoting the appreciation of modern and contemporary art, and to support artists, museums, and galleries, including the Tate Modern, National Portrait Gallery, and Whitechapel Gallery. The foundation has also worked with other artists, such as Anthony Caro and Eduardo Paolozzi, to promote their work and provide support for their projects, including exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery and the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

● Governance

The foundation is governed by a board of trustees, which includes representatives from the art world, such as Nicholas Serota, former director of the Tate, and Penelope Curtis, former director of the Tate Britain, as well as experts in law, finance, and management, including Lord Browne of Madingley and Dame Liz Forgan. The board is responsible for setting the foundation's strategy and overseeing its activities, including the management of the Perry Green estate, which includes Henry Moore's former home and studio, and the beautiful gardens and sculpture park, featuring works by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Naum Gabo. The foundation also works closely with other organizations, such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund, to support its activities and promote the appreciation of modern and contemporary art, including the work of artists like Rachel Whiteread and Anish Kapoor.

● Collections and Exhibitions

The foundation's collection includes over 20,000 works of art, including sculptures, drawings, and prints by Henry Moore and other artists, such as Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, and David Hockney. The collection is housed at Perry Green, where it is displayed in the beautiful gardens and sculpture park, and is also lent to museums and galleries around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. The foundation also organizes exhibitions and events, such as the Henry Moore Sculpture Gardens exhibition, which featured works by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Naum Gabo, and the Tate Britain's Henry Moore retrospective, which included works by Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, and Lucian Freud. The foundation has also collaborated with other institutions, such as the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, to organize exhibitions and events, including the Rodin and Moore exhibition, which featured works by Auguste Rodin and Henry Moore.

● Grants and Funding

The foundation provides grants and funding to support artists, museums, and galleries, including the Tate, National Gallery, and British Museum, as well as smaller organizations and individual artists, such as Grants for the Arts and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. The foundation's grants program is designed to support a wide range of activities, from exhibitions and commissions to education and community projects, and has supported artists like Rachel Whiteread and Anish Kapoor, as well as institutions like the Institute of Contemporary Arts and the Whitechapel Gallery. The foundation also works with other organizations, such as the Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund, to provide funding and support for arts projects, including the Olympic Games' Cultural Olympiad and the London 2012 Festival.

● Conservation and Restoration

The foundation is committed to the conservation and restoration of modern and contemporary art, and works with museums, galleries, and conservators to preserve and protect works of art, including those by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Naum Gabo. The foundation has supported conservation projects at institutions like the Tate, National Gallery, and British Museum, and has also worked with individual artists, such as Anthony Caro and Eduardo Paolozzi, to conserve and restore their works, including the Tate Britain's Henry Moore sculpture conservation project. The foundation has also collaborated with other organizations, such as the International Council of Museums and the Institute of Conservation, to promote best practices in conservation and restoration, and to support the development of new conservation techniques and technologies, including the use of 3D printing and laser scanning.

● Public Engagement

The foundation is committed to engaging the public with modern and contemporary art, and offers a range of programs and activities, including exhibitions, events, and education projects, at Perry Green and other locations, such as the Tate Modern and the National Gallery. The foundation works with schools, community groups, and other organizations to promote the appreciation of art and to support arts education, including the National Curriculum and the GCSE and A-level art programs. The foundation has also collaborated with other institutions, such as the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, to develop public engagement programs, including the British Museum's BP Lecture Theatre and the Victoria and Albert Museum's Learning Centre. The foundation's public engagement programs have supported artists like Rachel Whiteread and Anish Kapoor, and have also worked with other organizations, such as the Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund, to promote the appreciation of modern and contemporary art, including the work of artists like Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud.

Category:Art museums and galleries in the United Kingdom