Description
This new book tells the fascinating story of Brian Wall’s sculpture Thornaby. In spring 1968, a large steel sculpture was installed in the Northern town of Thornaby-on-Tees. It was not only an abstract sculpture, but a monumental one – 21 feet high, 30 feet long and 9 feet wide – and for some time one of the largest outdoor abstract sculptures in Britain. The work was made in collaboration with the town’s steel works company, Head Wrightson Ltd. The sculpture commission was a first for the artist, company and town, and it was called ‘Thornaby’ in a direct reference to the place in which it was made and displayed – and where it still remains today.
About the author
Dr Jon Wood is an art historian and curator, specialising in modern and contemporary sculpture. He worked for many years at the Henry Moore Institute and was an editor of the Sculpture Journal. Hi sculpture anthologies include Contemporary Sculpture: Artists’ Writings and Interviews (2019), Sculpture and Film (2018) and Modern Sculpture Reader (2012). Recent publications include: Tony Cragg: Line of Thought (2025) and Eduardo Paolozzi: ZEEP (2024).
