Henry Moore Institute - Ice Age Sculpture

Dates: 10 Apr 10 - 20 Jun 10

This exhibition dispels the widespread misconception that art began with the Egyptians.

The Henry Moore Institute (HMI) presents a focused display of 18 Ice Age sculptures drawn from the British Museum's large collection of prehistoric objects. "Museums recontextualise objects for various reasons.

"We wanted to remove them from their usual context and look at them not as artefacts but as works of art," said the show's co-curator Stephen Feeke, formerly at the HMI before his recent move to the New Art Centre in Wiltshire. .The bone, antler, ivory and stone objects, some of which date to 13,000 years ago, were created in south-west France at the same time as the famous cave paintings of Lascaux, Niaux and Altamira.

Some pieces have decorative elements etched onto their surface, some were carved in the round and others show minimal manipulation. "These objects show that these people had the ability to draw and sculpt with enormous confidence whether they were copying nature or adapting natural forms to suit their needs," said co-curator Dr Jill Cook from the British Museum. .The pieces will be presented in one case, "almost like a - cabinet of curiosities", said Feeke, adding: "the display begins with easy to recognise pieces and progresses to more abstract sculptures." Among the highlights on display is the Montastruc Mammoth, a 13,000-year-old spear throwing device carved from the antler of a reindeer and a river pebble that has been slightly modified to create the female silhouette. "The 20th-century eye is familiar with these abstract figures.

Looking at these objects within the HMI, visitors will be able to see that the modern is not so new," said Cook.

The Art Newspaper has learned that the British Museum is planning a large Ice Age exhibition in autumn 2011. E.S.