Henry Moore sculpture conservation complete
Channel: UK Parliament
Date: 2013-05-03

The project to conserve Henry Moore's bronze sculpture 'Knife Edge Two Piece' began in February 2013 and was successfully completed on 23 March 2013. The conservation, undertaken by Rupert Harris Conservation, was completed on time and on budget, with financial support from the Henry Moore Foundation.

Conservation was required to remove decades of damage which had accumulated during a period when its owners could not be identified. The sculpture was gifted to the nation in 1967 by Moore and the Contemporary Art Society, but no provisions were made for its long term care and there is no record of any conservation having ever been carried out to the work.

In 2011, following an intervention from the current chairman of the Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art, Frank Doran MP the House of Commons agreed to take on the ownership and care of the work. The 2013 conservation project means that the sculpture now looks as it would have done when it was originally installed and is protected from future damage by the environment.  

'Knife Edge Two Piece 'joins the Parliamentary Art Collection which holds over 8,000 works of art. It is now cared for by the team of Parliamentary curators who will ensure that the work remains in excellent condition for future generations to enjoy. 

To learn more about the conservation project visit:
http://www.parliament.uk/about/art-in-parliament/news/conservation-of-henry-moore-sculpture-to-begin/.