Sheffield’s role in manufacturing is one which many visitors and residents of our city are well aware of, with factories of days gone by still remaining on the outskirts of Sheffield. To pay homage to this, Sheffield Museums’ metalwork collection has been curated specifically for this role, selecting from the 13,000 objects to create a unique variety on display, a collection which I recently had the opportunity to investigate for myself.
The Sykes Gallery Metalwork Collection is an exhibition within the Millennium Gallery focused on Sheffield’s former role as a metalwork capital of the world, producing a vast array of metal products and at one point, manufacturing the majority of the world’s cutlery. This collection aims to pay tribute to that, showcasing many forms of cutlery that have been made in Sheffield, as well as many other items including soup tureens, sculptures, razors and many more.
This gallery is vast and may be one of the biggest in the city, definitely within the Millennium Gallery, and I think this fits thematically with the significance metalwork has played within the history of our city – Sheffield steel was, and is, world famous and giving such a large space to a collection of this nature I think is very fitting. The displays within this exhibition are beautifully arranged and laid out, with stunning arrays of items shown in a marvel of unique ways. There was a lot that felt very similar (if you appreciate table knives you’re going to have a lot to be looking at!) which took away from the displays a little, and risked this collection being too repetitive, which did occur several times.
However, individual pieces are occasionally able to distract from this, with one such item being ‘Organism’ by artist Junko Mori. This item has managed to take this characteristically heavy and stereotypically bulky, harsh material and craft a stunningly light and fragile-looking piece which has such intrinsic beauty and elegance. It’s a marvel to see and a piece that I found amazingly captivating just in itself, which made it a clear stand-out item in this display.
The Sykes Gallery Metalwork Collection is a heartfelt tribute to Sheffield’s manufacturing past, showing just why our city became so highly regarded for its craftmanship. Whilst the majority of this collection focuses on the more basic elements to a wider extent than maybe it should, the range of items here are sure to entertain all visitors, and it’s certainly worth a look around to appreciate that which came before.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
The Sykes Gallery Metalwork Collection is a continuing display in the Millennium Gallery
