Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life opens at Orleans House Gallery this October

This major exhibition returns the work of sculptor Ronald Moody to London, exploring his extraordinary artistic vision through sculpture, poetry, archives and contemporary responses.

Councillor John Coombs, Spokesperson for Arts, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life to Orleans House Gallery.

"As London’s first retrospective exhibition of Ronald Moody's work, this award-winning exhibition shines a light on his life and work, as well as his strong connections to West London. I encourage everyone to come along and celebrate his influence on modern sculpture, explore his extraordinary artistic vision, and discover a legacy that continues to inspire new audiences.”

Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life brings one of the twentieth century's most innovative artists back to the city where he lived and worked for much of his life. Presented at Orleans House Gallery, the exhibition marks the first retrospective of Moody's work in London. Giving audiences a unique opportunity to experience the breadth of Moody's creative practice for the first time in more than fifty years.

Adapted from the award-winning exhibition held at The Hepworth Wakefield, Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life explores the artist's work through themes of materiality, spirituality, migration and legacy. Bringing together sculptures, writings, archival materials and contemporary artistic responses, the exhibition reveals the relevance of Moody's ideas and the rich cultural networks that shaped his life and work.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1900, Ronald Moody moved to London in 1923 to study dentistry. An encounter with ancient Egyptian sculpture at the British Museum inspired him to teach himself carving, beginning a lifelong artistic journey that would establish him as a distinctive voice in twentieth-century Modernism. Drawing on influences from the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and the ancient world, Moody developed a unique sculptural language rooted in human connection, spiritual inquiry and cultural exchange.

Visitors will see on show sculptures in wood, concrete, resin and fibreglass, including works that reveal his deep relationship with natural materials and his fascination with transformation, movement and belief. Portraits, symbolic figures and bird-like forms sit alongside poetry, personal writings and recordings that demonstrate the breadth of his artistic imagination.

The exhibition also features newly commissioned contemporary responses from Dexter Mclean and Kat Francois. Developed in collaboration with Orleans House Gallery through a programme of artist research residencies. As well as new works by Kedisha Coakley and the Goldsmith’s Caribbean Research Team. These works create contemporary conversations around Moody's ideas, exploring themes including identity, migration, belonging and cultural memory.

The new film commission by artist and curator Kedisha Coakley, ‘Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life. What the Spirit Carved’, provides a contemporary reflection on Moody's legacy. Drawing on archival research, sculpture, writings and personal histories, the film asks what it means to encounter an artist through the traces they leave behind, while highlighting the often unseen labour involved in preserving cultural memory.

Although internationally recognised during his lifetime, Moody's contribution to British art history has often been overlooked. This exhibition offers an opportunity to reassess his place within twentieth-century art and to discover a body of work that continues to resonate across generations.

The Hepworth Wakefield's presentation of Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life and its accompanying publication received both the 2024 Association for Art History Curatorial Prize and Publication Prize, marking the first time a single project has received both awards.

Exhibition details:

• Dates: 1 October 2026 to 28 February 2027
• Location: Orleans House Gallery, Orleans Road, Twickenham TW1 3BL
• Price: Free entry

Ronald Moody: Sculpting Life organised by The Hepworth Wakefield in collaboration with Orleans House Gallery. With support from Arts Council England and the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund.

You can find out more about the exhibition.