Date: 17 October 2025

New Exhibition to open at York Art Gallery showcasing the work of Yorkshire sculptor, Harold Gosney. 

Harold Gosney: Materials and Making 

15 November 2025 – 28 June 2026 

A brand-new exhibition is due to open at York Art Gallery in November, celebrating the work of Harold Gosney (born 1937). Renowned for his sculptures, Gosney is a prolific Yorkshire artist who has spent over 65 years creating mixed media art pieces.  

Titled ‘Materials and Making’, the exhibition will explore Gosney’s experimentation with various types of wood and metal throughout his career and consider the importance of drawing to his artistic practice. For his sculptures, Gosney draws inspiration from his immediate environment and lived experiences, with horses, the human figure and music emerging as particularly influential subjects. Featuring over 45 works, highlights will include his striking ‘Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse’, crafted from copper and Perspex, the emotive ‘Father and Son, Bam’, his ‘Jazzman’, expertly carved from a single block of sycamore wood, and a trio of drawings depicting views of the nearby York Museum Gardens. 

As Gosney explains: “My work is always based on things I’ve seen and tried to analyse and understand, but is also handmade by me, from beginning to the very end. I do what I call preliminary drawings and also working drawings. Once I’ve started the piece of work, I sometimes have to rethink and do another series of drawings to help decide what the next step forward might be before reaching the final piece.”  

Many of the sculptural forms that will feature in the show started life as drawings, and they will be displayed here alongside one another to allow visitors to see the creative journey from initial concept to solid object, from paper to wood or copper. 

Gosney remarks that his creative process is not an exact science, but rather an exploration of his interests and the natural materials that present themselves: “If I see a piece of wood that is an unusual shape, then I may be inspired to create from that, for example I might see a reclining figure or something. On the other hand, if I have had an idea of something I’d like to make and have done some drawings, I look for a piece of wood that I can mould into that idea. Many of the pieces of wood I create from have either been given to me by friends or are found or reclaimed wood.” 

Gosney reflects on his connection to York and the Gallery which is hosting this special retrospective: “Several of the pieces in this exhibition have been at York Art Gallery for some years, but there will be many which have never been on display anywhere before. There is a range of early pieces and then several that have been completed since 2020. I’ve lived in York since 1994 and have been visiting the Gallery ever since. I think it’s important for people in York, or any town, to visit their local gallery.” 

Caitlin Doley and Robert Wake, Associate Collections Curators at York Art Gallery, who curated the show alongside Gosney, said: “This new exhibition is a celebration of Harold Gosney’s achievements as a sculptor, draughtsperson, and long-time supporter of York Art Gallery. We are so pleased to highlight his art, bringing together pieces from York Art Gallery’s collection, long-term loans from the artist, and previously unseen works. The exhibition is a testament to his talent and skill, showing his fascination with trialling working with different materials and techniques. It is always a pleasure to work with Harold, and we are very grateful for his continued generosity to York Art Gallery.” 

‘Harold Gosney: Materials and Making’ will be located upstairs in York Art Gallery and will be included in the general admission ticket. The exhibition will run from 15 November 2025 to 28 June 2026.  

For more information and tickets please visit www.yorkartgallery.org.uk  

The paint colour, Hicks’ Blue, for this exhibition has kindly been sponsored by Little Greene Paint Company.