A landmark sculpture by Barbara Hepworth will stay in the United Kingdom after The Hepworth Wakefield successfully raised £3.8 million through a national appeal. The acquisition ensures that Sculpture with Colour (Oval Form) Pale Blue and Red, a rare work from 1943, will remain accessible to the public rather than leaving the country.
Created during Hepworth’s wartime years in St Ives, the piece is considered an early and unusual example of her stringed sculptures. Carved in wood, the work is painted with a pale blue interior threaded with multicoloured strings, a striking composition that reflects her experiments with form and space.
Long hidden in private ownership, it has been seen only sparingly, making its arrival at The Hepworth Wakefield especially significant. For the museum, it fills a missing chapter in its collection from the 1940s, adding fresh depth to Hepworth’s story.
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The path to securing the sculpture began after it sold at Christie’s London in March 2024 for £3.55 million, rising to about £3.8 million after taxes. When the UK government placed a temporary export bar in November 2024, it bought valuable time for a domestic campaign to raise the full sum. This measure not only prevented the work from leaving the country but also created an opportunity for cultural institutions and the public to step forward together.
The fundraising drive was spearheaded by The Hepworth Wakefield alongside the Art Fund. Major grants formed the backbone of the campaign, including £1.89 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £750,000 from Art Fund.
Additional support came from trusts such as The Headley Trust, while smaller donors played a crucial role too. More than 2,800 individuals contributed, demonstrating wide-ranging enthusiasm for keeping the sculpture on home soil.
The campaign also benefited from the public support of leading contemporary artists. Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor, Rachel Whiteread, and Richard Deacon were among those who voiced strong backing. Their involvement helped highlight the cultural value of the sculpture, reinforcing its importance both within Hepworth’s body of work and within the wider history of British modern art.
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With the fundraising milestone achieved, the sculpture will become part of the permanent collection at The Hepworth Wakefield in West Yorkshire. The museum has already announced plans to share the work more broadly, with future loans to institutions across the UK, ensuring a wider audience can encounter it.
Its arrival comes at a fitting moment, as the gallery prepares for its 15th anniversary in 2026. The sculpture will be a centrepiece of programming around that milestone, offering visitors a rare glimpse into Hepworth’s wartime creativity and her exploration of abstract forms in three dimensions.
