British artist Jakob Rowlinson launches a major new body of work across The Art House and Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Wakefield.

This summer, artist Jakob Rowlinson presents his first UK institutional project across Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) and The Art House (TAH), developed through a collaborative residency between the organisations in 2024. ROTATOR at YSP is a striking suspended installation by Rowlinson, presented alongside REVIVER, his solo exhibition at TAH in central Wakefield. Opening on Saturday 18 July, the interconnected displays form a significant new body of work that invites audiences to experience a single artistic vision across two distinctive settings.

While each exhibition can be experienced independently, together they offer the fullest insight into Rowlinson’s practice, with complementary perspectives on his investigations into material histories and place, and continuing his interest in queering archives. REVIVER at TAH explores these ideas through an immersive gallery exhibition of new sculptural works. At YSP, ROTATOR features three colourful and intricate leather sculptures suspended in the YSP Centre, considering the Park’s ecology through a queer lens.

Developed in response to his time spent immersed in the YSP landscape, ROTATOR reflects Rowlinson’s fascination for the way nature records the passage of time through continual patterns of renewal. The native butterfly species that he encountered, particularly orange-tip and comma, became a key source of inspiration. Their life cycles and transformative journeys inform the installation’s exploration of metamorphosis, fluidity and renewal. Like butterfly wings, the sculptures’ reflective surfaces interact with natural light to create a dynamic and ever-changing visual encounter.

ROTATOR weaves together an evocative mix of ecological, folkloric and spiritual references, drawn from the artist’s extensive research. Delicate patterns echo butterfly markings, while celestial forms draw inspiration from the Ophanim – wheel-like angels described in biblical visions and famously reimagined by William Blake. These influences are combined with materials and processes rooted in Yorkshire’s heritage, including leather tanning and natural dyes made from oak galls foraged by the artist from trees at YSP.

Rowlinson said:“My time at Yorkshire Sculpture Park allowed me to slow down and really observe the subtle shifts within the landscape. I became fascinated by how cycles - whether seasonal or biological - shape our perception of time. ROTATOR brings together ideas of transformation and repetition, combining the fragile beauty of butterfly wings with the symbolism of celestial forms to create something that is constantly in flux.”

The sculptures in both REVIVER and ROTATOR are made in part from reclaimed leather clothing and accessories that are relics of bodily history, enabling the material to be revived in both form and meaning. Leather is used to acknowledge and explore its long association with LGBTQIA+ subculture and the queer body. The artist was also inspired by Wakefield’s historical significance as a trading post in medieval society, exploring the history of cloth and leather markets in the city. The West Riding of Yorkshire was at the centre of the English tanning industry by the 16th century and leather production was vital to medieval life. TAH was constructed on the remnants of a tannery, and the remains of the large wooden vats used to store the urine necessary for leather production were discovered under its foundations during the building work in 2008.

This history connects to Rowlinson’s frequent use and subversion of rich, fantastical medieval symbolism to question and explore evolving perceptions of masculinity through time from a contemporary queer perspective. Within REVIVER, these material and symbolic histories are developed further through an expanded installation that connects Wakefield’s industrial heritage with mythology and contemporary queer identity, creating a dialogue between the two venues.

REVIVER and ROTATOR are the outcome of a collaborative partnership to support artists at pivotal stages in their practice. They demonstrate both organisations’ ongoing commitment to nurturing artists by providing dedicated time, space and support for them to develop their practice, take creative risks and realise ambitious work. By combining the distinct contexts, expertise and audiences of both organisations, the partnership has enabled Rowlinson to develop his most ambitious project to date that unfolds across two exciting visual arts destinations in Yorkshire.

Admission information for YSP can be found at ysp.org.uk. With further details regarding ROTATOR at Jakob Rowlinson | Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Admission to TAH is free. Further information about REVIVER, including opening times and visitor information, can be found at the-arthouse.org.uk

Notes to Editors 
Press enquiries
YSP / +44 (0)1924 832 631 / comms@ysp.org.uk  
Download images at ysp.org.uk/press

Listings information
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG
Near Wakefield and Barnsley – M1 Junction 38
+44 (0)1924 832631 | ysp.org.uk | @YSPsculpture
Check online for opening hours.
Book tickets at ysp.org.uk

Social media
Instagram: @YSPsculpture
Facebook: @YorkshireSculpturePark
LinkedIn: Yorkshire Sculpture Park
#YSPSculpture