Henry Moore Comes Home, a new exhibition of prints by Henry Moore, one of the best-loved UK artists of the 20th century, opened at the British Council’s headquarters in London on 1 December 2015.
Henry Moore Comes Home builds on the two-year tour of another exhibition, Henry Moore – the Printmaker that previously visited Kosovo where it was on display at the National Art Gallery in Pristina from 27 March – 20 April 2014.
During the tour to Kosovo and six other countries, Henry Moore – the Printmaker was seen by a total of 80,000 people, and revealed personal stories of local artists, curators, visitors and museums that have been influenced by Henry Moore over the past seven decades. Henry Moore Comes Home explores the artist’s enduring international influence, as well as the main themes that can be found in Henry Moore’s graphics and sculpture.
Broadening the cultural scene
Kosovo’s modernist visual art had a flourishing period in the 1960s and 1970s during Yugoslavia’s communist regime. Unlike in the Soviet Union or neighbouring Albania, Kosovan artists of the time enjoyed much more freedom of artistic expression. Many were greatly influenced by their Western European contemporaries such as Henry Moore, for example the well-known sculptor Agim Çavdarbasha, in whose works this influence is very evident.
Henry Moore – the Printmaker was the first significant international exhibition to open at the National Gallery of Kosovo, and the second most visited show in 15 years. The show enabled local artists to put Kosovo’s own artistic achievements and influences into an international context, and allowed an entire generation to access Moore’s work for the first time.
"It is precious to compare the works of Kosovan artists with those of Henry Moore. I have special feelings for this exhibition, it is very important for us.”
- Zake Prelvukaj, artist
