In a repurposed 18th-century chapel at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, a peculiar structure emerges through the building’s architectural gaps. Its tendrils, resembling clippers and knives, appear to scuttle across the floor, extending from an upper opening and even encircling part of the building’s exterior. This otherworldly creation is the work of Nicola Turner, an artist celebrated for her large-scale, twisted textile installations that often seem to burst from buildings and public spaces.
Turner’s solo exhibition, Time’s Scythe, features forms crafted from recycled wool and horsehair. She meticulously hand-stitches these materials within a mesh to form bulging, knotted shapes. As the gallery notes, “This is Turner’s first large-scale installation to use pale wool, which brings a different energy compared to her darker sculptures, shifting away from their more melancholic tone.”
Time’s Scythe is on display until September 27 in Wakefield. Visitors are also encouraged to explore LR Vandy’s provocative exhibition, Rise, which is also ongoing in September. More of Turner’s work can be seen on her Instagram, and those interested in similar creature-like forms may find Kate MccGwire’s art appealing.
