Henry Moore Institute
Fragment and Form
The relationship between history, myth and materiality has been a central concern throughout the evolution of sculpture.
From the enduring qualities of marble in classical depictions to the use of industrial and found materials more recently, sculptors have chosen materials not merely for their physical properties, but for their ability to deepen meaning and embody cultural, political, and spiritual narratives.
Fragment and Form will continue the dialogue between history and materiality in sculpture through the work of three contemporary artists: Emii Alrai, Mónica Mays and Dominique White.
While distinct, the work of each artist converges in the exploration of heritage, displacement and the ways in which personal and collective histories are preserved, marginalised and contested through materiality.
The notion of history being both formed and fragmented resonates throughout the exhibition, finding parity in the artists’ material choices which so often serve as a metaphor for the complexities of representing history itself.
Henry Moore Institute
74 The Headrow
Leeds
LS1 3AH
United Kingdom
Dates
18 July – 2 November 2025
Installation Views
Installation view of ‘Fragment and Form’ at Henry Moore Institute, showing Emii Alrai’s ‘Wallow’s Brace’ 2025 and Dominique White’s ‘beast of burden’ 2024. Photo: Rob Harris.
About the Artist
Emii Alrai lives and works in the UK. Solo exhibitions include Capture, The Towner Eastbourne, 2025; River of Black Stone, Compton Verney, UK, 2025; A Lake as Great as its Bones, Maximillian William, London, UK, 2024; Lithics, Quench Gallery, Margate, UK, 2024; A Core of Scar, The Hepworth Wakefield & iniva, Wakefield, UK, 2022; and Reverse Defence, Workplace Foundation, Newcastle, UK, 2022.Previous group exhibitions include Fragment & Form, Henry Moore Institute, Leeds 2025, Déjà Vu, Bold Tendencies, London, 2025, Ceramics Friends: 5th Virginia McClure Ceramic Biennale, McClure Gallery, Montréal, Canada 2024; A Permanent Departure for Nostalgia, A Rehearsal on Legacy with Zaha Hadid, Contemporary Arts Centre, Cincinnati, USA, 2023; and And the Mirrors are Many, Warehouse 421, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2022.Alrai is the 2025 recipient of the Assetto Fellowship at the Warburg Institute and was artist-in-residence at Wysing Arts Centre, UK, 2024. She has undertaken residencies at the Villa Medici, Rome, Italy, 2023; Launchpad LaB, France, 2023; and Triangle Astérides, Marseille, France, 2021.
