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Hebden Bridge Artwork

From Jonathan Timbers

Monday, 11 June 2012

I wanted to share an extraordinary discovery at Leeds City Art Gallery: a woodcut by the great modernist English artist, Edward Wadsworth (sic), entitled 'Fustian Town/ Hebden Bridge. It was made in 1914 and shows lines of tall houses/ steps and chimneys. It's in the prevailing vorticist avante-garde style of the time, so it's simple, dramatic, and highly abstracted. On first glance, it looks like a lot of thick black lines at crazy angles on a white backgound but as you stare at it, it's apparent the artist has captured the essence of Hebden's victorian architecture.

Currently, it's on display in a small room off the children's play area. If you have the time, go and see it. Anyone wanting to 'brand' the town, for cultural or commercial purposes, will discover an iconic symbol which still connects to the look of the town.

From Andrew Bibby

Monday, 20 August 2012

Jonathan,

Edward Wadsworth also did a similar work entitled Mytholmroyd, which was recently on display internationally in the Vorticist exhbition. As regards his Hebden Bridge work, Calderdale council also possess a copy. No promises, but we have been in discussions with the council about whether we can exhibit this in the Town Hall. Watch this space.

From Dashiell Amm

Tuesday, 21 August 2012

I suspect I'm not alone in being uncomfortable with the concept of 'branding' Hebden Bridge. I can't help thinking back to the nauseatingly twee 'That was so Hebden Bridge' campaign of a couple of years ago, which in my opinion did the town few favours.

From Cllr Tim Swift

Tuesday, 21 August 2012

You can actually view this online

There's a short review of the exhibition Andrew refers to, including an image of 'Mytholmroyd', in this blog post.

From Ron Taylor

Wednesday, 22 August 2012

Dashiel, you are certainly not alone. Hebden does seem like a place disappearing under the weight of its own hubris.

From Andy M

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

HB is 'disappearing under the weight of it's own hubris'?

Sounds bad! Perhaps it'll bob up again on other peoples schadenfreude!