1:03 AM 11th March 2025
Artist Ian Gets To Max Out For New Exhibition At Wentworth Woodhouse
Artist Ian Kirkpatrick with his works Mountain of the Immortals and American Gothic
Grade I listed Wentworth Woodhouse in Rotherham has a Palladian front bigger than Buckingham Palace, 365 rooms and ceilings up to 40 feet high.
Its owner is a preservation trust carrying out a £155 million restoration and utilising the historic spaces to bring art and culture experiences to local people. Its latest exhibition, ICONOCLASH, by contemporary artist Ian Kirkpatrick, opens on Tuesday March 25 and runs until June 29.
Ian Kirkpatrick with one of his 3D pieces, a fabric artwork entitled Age of Silver
“The sheer size of the house has actually inspired some of the exhibits in ICONOCLASH,” said artist Ian.
“My first visit there was in 2023, when Turner-Prize winning artist Grayson Perry’s The Vanity of Small Differences exhibition was occupying the State Rooms.
“I was struck by how Grayson’s magnificent tapestries were enhanced by the historic setting and the vastness of the rooms.
“My artworks are large-scale, but I realised I was being presented with a wonderful opportunity; I could go even bigger and wilder, because I had this English version of Versailles to exhibit them in!”
Ian’s vibrant work is inspired by the history of art and design. Symbols from ancient cave paintings, Egyptian hieroglyphics and scenes on Greek vases combine with graffiti, emojis and computer graphics on huge 2D and sculptural pieces which often reference current political and social affairs.
Said Ian: “Iconoclash is a play on the word iconoclasm - the rejection of traditional beliefs and symbols. I find influences and symbols from across time and jumble them all together to create something new.
“Some pieces are very colourful with tons going on with them and they tend to appeal to children. Others are monochrome with a nod to street art. American Gothic is one of the pieces that people say they like the most - it alludes to a haunted house full of Western culture’s anxieties.”
Ian hails from Canada, where he gained a degree in Fine Art. But it was coming to the UK in 2007 with his wife, an archaeologist undertaking a PhD, which gave him the opportunity to become a full-time artist. He now works out of East Street Arts in Leeds and a studio in London.
He commented: “In the UK there is a strong drive to find and support new artistic talent. In Canada I had fallen into local government work, but then learned how to use Adobe Illustrator and began getting graphic design commissions. In the UK, my art developed from my Adobe skills. I design my work digitally, then manufacture it out of industrial materials including stainless steel, vinyl, cardboard and Perspex.”
Most of his sculptures are designed to flat-pack and sprawling wall scenes are made up of numerous separate canvases - a smart solution when your art has been exhibited across the UK, the U.S. and Europe.
Jen Booth, Wentworth Woodhouse’s Exhibition and Interpretation Manager, said:
“We are one of the first hosts of ICONOCLASH and think it will fascinate our visitors.
“It’s exactly what we look for in an exhibition. It’s bold and playful and this year, when Rotherham is the world’s first Children's Capital of Culture, Wentworth Woodhouse literally becomes a giant House of Fun.
“But it’s also thought-provoking and absorbing. You’re examining intricate iconography which looks thousands of years old, and suddenly you find a Smurf in there!”
The exhibition is also providing Rotherham’s young with the chance to learn Ian’s techniques.