UoG expert brings together extraordinary work by leading British artist

A University of Gloucestershire art expert has collaborated with one of the most visited free attractions in England to present an extraordinary exhibition showcasing rare and unknown work by a prominent British abstract painter.

Olivia Bax, an artist and lecturer in Fine Art within the University’s School of Creative Arts, co-curated the colourful and humorous selection of ceramic sculptures produced by the late John Hoyland being displayed at the Millenium Gallery, Sheffield Museums in the exhibition These Mad Hybrids: John Hoyland and Contemporary Sculpture.

Supported by research funding from the University’s School of Creative Arts, the free exhibition is only the second time that the sculptures – described by John Hoyland as ‘these mad little hybrids’ – have been on public display since they were made in 1994.

Olivia will give a group of the University’s BA (Hons) Fine Art students a guided tour of the exhibition when she will explain the significance of John Hoyland’s work to further enhance their learning and understanding as part of their course programme.

The exhibition shines a light on the importance of sculptural ideas to the Sheffield-born artist’s abstract paintings, with his dynamic style drawing comparisons with the likes of the renowned US-based artists Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko.

These Mad Hybrids: John Hoyland and Contemporary Sculpture is on display until 18 May 2025 in the main gallery space at the Millennium Gallery.

Visitors will have an opportunity to enjoy John Hoyland’s sculptural works in dialogue with a spectacular, international assembly of contemporary sculpture, featuring works by Olivia, Caroline Achaintre, Eric Bainbridge, Phyllida Barlow, Hew Locke, Anna Reading, Jessi Reaves, Andrew Sabin, John Summers and Chiffon Thomas.

As part of the exhibition, Olivia will take part in a panel discussion with an acclaimed group of artists chaired by the former director of Tate Britain, Penelope Curtis, to explore the broader themes of These Mad Hybrids: John Hoyland and Contemporary Sculpture.

The exhibition, which had previously been displayed at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) in Bristol, can be seen alongside Strange Presence: John Hoyland Paintings, which showcases a selection of the bold, striking abstract paintings for which Hoyland is best known.

Olivia encountered the sculptures for the first time in 2020 when she was invited to see them by Sam Cornish – co-creator of the exhibition – and Wiz Patterson Kelly of The John Hoyland Estate who saw a relationship between her sculptures and Hoyland’s ceramics.

Olivia Bax said: “I’m thrilled that, following the success of the exhibition at the RWA last year, we’re now able to share John Hoyland’s ceramics and the other contemporary sculptors’ extraordinary work with visitors to the Millenium Gallery at Sheffield Museums.

“The architecture at the Millenium Gallery is very different to the RWA, so it has been interesting seeing the work in a more contemporary space. It is quite remarkable that despite being 30 years old, Hoyland’s ceramics look like they’ve just been made.” 

Images: These Mad Hybrids: John Hoyland and Contemporary Sculpture at the Royal West of England Academy featuring Olivia Bax, Caroline Achaintre, Eric Bainbridge, Phyllida Barlow, John Hoyland, Hew Locke, Anna Reading, Jessi Reaves, Andrew Sabin, John Summers and Chiffon Thomas. Photos: Tim Bowditch, courtesy of all the artists.