Studio Orta

On July 20, 2013 a presentation of new and recent work by Lucy + Jorge Orta opens at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Located in YSP’s Longside Gallery and on the park grounds, this important exhibition revolves around the theme of water, central to Orta’s practice. Alongside archival works the artists launch two major new commissions: Raft of the Medusa and Spirits of the Huveaune - Ubelka.

Raft of the Medusa, a centerpiece of the exhibition, is inspired by Théodore Géricault’s 1818-19 shipwreck painting Le Radeau de la Méduse. Constructed in the form of a radeau de fortune, this unusual patchwork assemblage of driftwood, lacquered glass, oil drums, giant oars and a ‘cloud’ roof resembles a large raft out of which juts an imposing ladder-cum-mast. The sculpture is laden with allusions to water’s contradictory power to save or destroy and to current international migration and the journeys many are forced to take in search of refuge.

Also unveiled is Ubelka, a larger than life female figure cast in bronze belonging to Orta’s ongoing Spirits series. Weaving a link between past and present, Spirits refers to the universal water cycle and its poetic representation through myth and legend surrounding the history of Marseille’s Huveaune river, along which five earlier works now permanently reside. Ubelka is the mother goddess of water, the maternal figure from whom the river takes its original name. Ubelka at YSP is generously enabled by Pangolin Editions.

Orta have designed two limited edition plates exclusively for YSP to coincide with the exhibition. Both designs draw from Orta’s series 70x7 The Meal bringing people together ad infinitum around the ritual of eating. Made in Royal Limoges porcelain with a four-color enamel process, including platinum silver accents, the plates feature the artists’ drawings and are signed and numbered on the reverse. Both are in an edition of 50 and available for the special exhibition price of £160, with presentation box. Please see here for further details.