The Yorkshire Sculpture Park: Trap of the Truth

Kim Cullen reviews Erwin Wurm’s Trap of the Truth and shares her experience visiting Yorkshire Sculpture Park growing up.

Whenever Leeds becomes too loud, I go to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Currently on exhibition is Erwin Wurm with his collection of somewhat perplexing sculptures. The exhibition’s title, Trap of the Truth, is equally mystifying. The Austrian artist is known for his depictions of mundane objects. His work ranges from contorted cars to a 13ft high bronze gherkin – something you might just have to see for yourself. Commonly associated with Wurm are his so-called One Minute Sculptures, which he himself explains as “performative sculpture[s] where a person interacts with a daily life object”, making his work not only visually stimulating but also interactive. Sitting on Sigmund Freud’s House is the title of one of his other pieces. Intrigued yet?   

 “At some point I came to realise that everything surrounding me can be material for an artistic work, absolutely everything. To begin with, because I had no money and worked relatively quickly, I used scraps of wood and cans… before ultimately realising that I could actually use anything around me. That was the decisive step, as then anything was possible.”  

Erwin Wurm

In addition to Erwin Wurm’s current exhibition, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park features other renowned artists such as Damien Hirst, the UK’s richest living artist. Also exhibited in the park is Henry Moore, famously known for his modernist sculptures of abstracted bodies. Scattered around the park’s fields are his and other artists’ works, making the park renowned as perhaps the country’s premier outdoor sculpture display.

And if the art alone isn’t enough, the park itself has so much to offer. A vast area landscaped by “Richard Woods in the 18th century and Robert Marnock, the estate’s head gardener, in the 1820s and 1830’s” populated by sheep (who as small children my brother and I used to get in trouble for chasing), surrounds a massive lake and forest. In nice weather, it’s a perfect place to eat, whether you bring your own food or have a warm meal in the park’s canteen or a coffee on the balcony overlooking the scenery. Something not to miss out on.

So, if Leeds ever gets a little bit overwhelming, consider a visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park for some inspiring art, peaceful landscape and, if you are lucky, a cappuccino and a caramel slice to die for. And after all, where else can you witness a sprinting handbag, a giant orange hot water bottle in big boots and a full size silver car, melting into the grass, or discover what the imagination of an artist can make of a Mercedes van reversing into a gallery wall.

Erwin Wurm: Trap of the Truth us in at Yorkshire Sculpture Park until 28th April 2024. Free tickets are available online for Under 25s and £6 for student concessions.