Sphere with Inner Form 1963

Editor: Here we have Dame Barbara Hepworth's "Sphere with Inner Form," a bronze sculpture residing in her sculpture garden. The contrast between the smooth outer sphere and the textured inner form is really striking. What do you make of Hepworth's choice of form here? Curator: Hepworth’s work often reflects the social and political reconstruction following the World Wars. The piercing of the sphere, a symbol of wholeness, speaks to the societal wounds and the search for inner peace and reconciliation. The placement in a garden further emphasizes the hope for regeneration. Editor: So, the garden setting adds to the sculpture's meaning? Curator: Absolutely. Consider how public sculpture gardens, like Hepworth's, became spaces for collective healing, offering a space for contemplation and a renewed sense of community through art. Editor: I hadn't considered the public role of sculpture in that way before. It's fascinating to think about art as a form of social repair.