WAKEFIELD.- The grounds of Wakefield’s The Orangery are set to be transformed for the summer by a large-scale 3D maze. A new art installation created by leading international artist Richard Woods, ‘A Maze for Yorkshire’ has been commissioned from cultural programming specialists Beam and will be in place from 8 June to 29 September.

Described by the artist as a ‘cartoon Yorkshire dry stone wall’, the artwork is a colourful temporary structure 10 metres square, allowing visitors to explore the labyrinth, listen to a changing soundscape, enjoy The Orangery’s historic green space, and have a drink at the pop-up Orangery Café.

At the centre of the maze is an intimate performance space, and Beam has issued an invitation to local community groups, students, amateurs, and professionals to showcase their talents in the space over the summer. This will add to a series of programmed cultural events, starting with Wakefield’s burgeoning Long Division Festival on 8-9 June.

A soundscape for the maze has been created by Beam’s music producer in residence, Huddersfield’s Noah Burton, working alongside writers James Nash, Peter Spafford and students from Cathedral Academy and Hemsworth Arts & Community College. It features stories and poems created by Wakefield people, which Burton blends with music and sound.

‘A Maze for Yorkshire’, supported by Arts Council England and Wakefield Council, marks the largest commission at its base for Beam, an arts, architecture and education charity which aims to draw the public’s attention to the often overlooked Grade II* listed Orangery, a cultural facility with a fascinating and varied history in the city.

Creative Director Robert Powell commented: “Wakefield has become a magnet for some of the most talented architects and artists of our time. We have a market designed by David Adjaye, a contemporary gallery by David Chipperfield, and some of the world’s best artists at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park - so, in some ways it’s unsurprising that someone of Richard Woods’ reputation is willing to work with us at The Orangery. However, his vision for ‘A Maze for Yorkshire’ is a delightful and welcome surprise that everyone who encounters it can enjoy. It is also a catalyst for a series of creative events and community activities that will animate the grounds of The Orangery, shining a light once again on this beautiful historic gem.”

Richard Woods is renowned internationally as an artist who straddles multiple creative worlds. His installations and design work have been exhibited throughout the UK (including the Victoria & Albert Museum, Liverpool Biennial, Natural History Museum) as well as in New York, Zurich, Milan, Korea and Japan.

The influences for his work come from a variety of different sources from architecture, music, literature and public space. Through the fusion of art, architecture and design, Richard and his team completely transform structures and spaces with exaggerated and colourful illustrations of construction materials, which cover surfaces of interiors and exteriors to create vividly different surroundings that merge reality with fantasy.
Richard was born in Chester, 1966, and currently lives and works in London. For more information about Richard and his work please visit: www.richardwoodsstudio.com