The Crusador at the Imperial War Museum

10th November 2010

Categories: Modern History News

NEW: ARTIST’s REACTION at Imperial War Museum North

THE CRUSADER by Gerry Judah

Main Exhibition Space,6 November 2010 - November 2011,

FREE ENTRANCE (donations welcome),
www.iwm.org.uk/north

‘The sculpture fuses together the contradictions that preoccupy me as an artist. It
explores the violence of conflict against a perceived righteousness of purpose; the
beauty of the sculpture contrasting with the darkness of the subject matter. Imperial
War Museum North shows how war shapes people’s lives and so is the perfect setting
for the art work.’ Gerry Judah

To mark Remembrance, Imperial War Museum North in Manchester will be exhibiting a new
sculpture by renowned contemporary artist Gerry Judah.The huge work of art is the first exhibit visitors will see on entering the Museum’s Main Exhibition Space.

Gerry Judah’s new piece, entitled The Crusader, has been created in direct response to contemporary global conflict.It reflects on modern day wars but also resonates with the
history of world conflict, showing how war has and continues to shape lives. This
makes it a powerful and thought provoking piece at Remembrance.

This striking snow white sculpture comprises a sevenmetre,three-dimensiona1 structure
covered with a webofwar torn buildings.The setting in Imperial War Museum North’s
landmark building designed to represent a globe shattered by conflict is fittingas Judah’s work is a reaction to the Museum’s architecture, as well as its and themes of war and conflict. The Crusader
is the culmination of five years of engagement with conflict in which Judah has created a series of three dimensional paintings of war damaged cities, inspired by recent global events.It is the first and only sculpture in this body of work, which was initially conceived when Judah produced the acclaimed Auschwitz Birkenau model for the Holocaust Exhibition in Imperial War Museum London in 2000.

This is the second piece in Imperial War Museum North's Reactions artist intervention
programme. The programme works with artists who then create new work in response to
the Museum's displays, themes and architecture, encouraging visitors to question, critique
and respond during their visit.

Imperial War Museum North is the ideal place to visit this Remembrance, with a series of
events on offer, alongside Judah’s sculpture. The traditional silences at 11am will be marked on Thursday 11 and Sunday 14 November, with a reading of the First World War poem In Flanders Field and a Piper’s Lament bagpipe performance respectively.There will be What A Performancefamily shows throughout 11 November, while families can get creative in the Learning Studio on Saturdays 7 and 14 November.

Closer Look Tours explore moving Remembrance stories on 8, 11, 12 November.
Visitors can also discover more about the role of war artists and the role of the Imperial War
Museum in commissioning and collecting art such as The Crusader by Gerry Judah through Closer Look War Art Tours every Wednesday in November as well as Sunday 21 and 28 November.
The tours are at 2.15pm.

Jim Forrester, Imperial War Museum North Director, said: ‘Gerry Judah’s work is always powerful and this dramatic sculpture will hopefully set all our visitors thinking  this Remembrance and beyond. It offers a thought provoking perspective on conflict, highlighting how war shapes lives.’

For press information regarding Imperial War Museum North contact Alex
Knight on 01618364040 or aknight@iwm.org.uk