3/5 Stars

At the Henry Moore Institute, the Vladimir Markov exhibition displays the artist’s sculpture through a set of photographs, publications and a painting dating from 1910. A Latvian painter and originally an art theorist, he explored a universal theory for the development and understanding of art which centred on studies of art of all periods and regions. His particular obsession centred on ethnographic collections of sculpture from all over Europe. The set of photos on display depict sculptural work from Easter Island and the Republic of Congo to European locations such as Paris and Cologne; despite such varying origins, all the photographs merge to tell Markov’s artistic narrative focusing on the surfaces of sculpture and their assemblage.

The collection is all of a uniform size and in black and white, but each piece succeeds in highlighting the textural depth and artistic skill of the sculptural works. Markov collated his visual research into four books analysing the artistry of sculpture, which can be viewed in the Henry Moore research library. Markov’s exhibition may be modest in size and scope, yet it is still worthy of a visit to experience his artistic vision and targeted depiction of so many sculptural works.

The exhibition will run until April 14. 

Charlotte Duffield