Laura Ellen Bacon: Into Being at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Opening just before the Easter holidays at Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP), Into Being is a new exhibition by Derbyshire-based artist Laura Ellen Bacon. This installation, designed for the 18th-century Chapel at YSP, is woven entirely from sustainable Somerset willow and intricately responds to the space’s architecture, wrapping around its features in an abstract, organic form.
Laura Ellen Bacon. Into Being, 2025. Photo by India Hobson, courtesy YSP.
Spanning six metres into the nave of the Chapel and climbing three metres up the wall, Into Being embodies shapes found in the natural world, such as cocoons, burrows, and seed pods. Visitors are invited to stand within its embracing folds, enveloped by the intricate details of the structure. The sculpture transforms the space, blurring the lines between art and nature, inviting a deep sensory connection to the environment.
Laura Ellen Bacon. Into Being, 2025. Photo by India Hobson, courtesy YSP.
Bacon, who primarily works alone, is constructing the piece on-site at YSP over eight weeks. She uses fallen beech tree branches alongside the slender Somerset willow to form the self-supporting structure. The act of weaving is central to Bacon’s practice, as she employs the ancient technique of willow weaving in a non-traditional style that she has developed over two decades. The physical and repetitive nature of the process provides a space for contemplation, where Bacon’s handwork leaves traces of memory and experience within the knotted rods.
Laura Ellen Bacon, Work in Progress. Into Being, YSP 2025. Photo by Scott Merrylees
The willow chosen for this piece, Dicky Meadows, is prized for its straight and slender stems, which allow Bacon to ‘draw’ strong, smooth lines in the space. The material, native to the UK, is not only sustainable but also blends harmoniously with its natural surroundings. At the end of the exhibition, the willow will be repurposed to create wildlife habitats, reinforcing Bacon’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
Laura Ellen Bacon. Into Being, 2025. Photo by India Hobson, courtesy YSP.
For Bacon, the process of making is as much about the experience of being in the space as it is about the final piece. The Chapel’s rising and falling light, its acoustics, and the scent of the willow all contribute to the immersive experience of Into Being. As Bacon herself explains, “It will be a sensory experience in that there is so much willow, and it has a beautiful aroma. The light from the Chapel windows will affect and change the work throughout the day.” The ever-changing nature of the piece invites visitors to explore its varied views as it weaves its way across the stone floor.
Laura Ellen Bacon. Into Being, 2025. Photo by India Hobson, courtesy YSP.
The exhibition’s title, Into Being, speaks to the intense, durational process of bringing a new work to life. While Bacon begins with sketches, the final form evolves organically in response to the space, creating a unique connection to the living, breathing world around it.
Alongside the monumental sculpture, smaller works will be displayed in the vestry and balcony, including Contact (2021) and Companion (2024). Supported by Hignell Gallery, Into Being invites viewers to witness the beauty of transformation through the interplay of natural materials, light, and space, leaving a lasting impression on all who encounter it.
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Further Information:
Laura Ellen Bacon
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
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Image Credits:
Lead Image: Laura Ellen Bacon, The Shape of First Thoughts 2017. Photo © Alun Callender. Courtesy the artist and Hignell Gallery.
All other images as credited in photo captions.