Sculpture and the Letterform

From traditional incised lettering on memorials, to the use of letterforms and typography as works of art in their own right, this is a genre of sculpture with a message. In this Curation you’ll find interesting and varied examples where words, typography and letterforms have been used to create a unique form of sculpture.

Artists featured in this Curation: Elisa Artesero, Bethan Huws (b.1961), Donald Urquhart (b.1959), Jennifer Grant, Charles Gurrey (b.1953), Shilpa Gupta (b.1976), Angela Godfrey (b.1939), Leo Fitzmaurice (b.1963), Annabel McCourt (b.1975), Martin Reilly (b.1958), and 34 more See all

44 artworks

Storyline Album Showcase

The Garden of Floating Words
The Garden of Floating Words 2017
Elisa Artesero
Clear acrylic & neon glass
H 200 x W 50 x D 50 cm
City of London Corporation

© the artist. Image credit: Nick Turpin, courtesy of Sculpture in the City
All Schools Should Be Art Schools
The Priority of Speech
The Priority of Speech 2010–2016
Bethan Huws (b.1961)
Aluminium, glass, rubber & plastic letters
H 100 x W 75 cm
Government Art Collection

© DACS 2024. Image credit: Government Art Collection
Thocht Stane (Thought Stone)
Thocht Stane (Thought Stone) 1998
Donald Urquhart (b.1959)
Sandstone & granite

© the artist. Image credit: Donald Stewart / Art UK
The Tree that Never Grew
The Tree that Never Grew
Jennifer Grant

© the copyright holder. Image credit: Gordon Baird / Art UK
War Memorial
War Memorial 2007
Charles Gurrey (b.1953)
Caithness stone
H 260 x W 89 x D 10 cm
Bletchley Park Trust

© the artist. Image credit: Charles Gurrey 2007 and Bletchley Park Trust 2019
There is no border here
There is no border here 2006
Shilpa Gupta (b.1976)
High-visibility tape
H 118.1 x W 118.1 cm
Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives

© the artist. Image credit: Shilpa Gupta
Flowing Onwards
Flowing Onwards
Angela Godfrey (b.1939)
Dunhouse sandstone
H 121 x W 150 cm

© the artist. Image credit: Tracy Jenkins / Art UK
Arcadia
Arcadia 2007
Leo Fitzmaurice (b.1963)
Reflective vinyl, paint, aluminium & steel
H 220 x W 160 x D 10 cm
City of London Corporation

© the artist, courtesy of The Sunday Painter. Image credit: Nick Turpin, courtesy of Sculpture in the City
Suffering Arcadia
Suffering Arcadia 2019
Annabel McCourt (b.1975)
Neon
Scarborough Museums and Galleries

© the artist. Image credit: Scarborough Museums Trust & Annabel McCourt
Orbis et umbra
Orbis et umbra 2015
Martin Reilly (b.1958) and Hazel Buchan Cameron
Stone, metal & gold leaf
H 50 x W 40 x D 40 cm
Corbenic Poetry Path

© Hazel Buchan Cameron & Corbenic Poetry Path. Image credit: Corbenic Poetry Path
The Flame
The Flame
Angela Godfrey (b.1939)
Portland stone
H 155 cm

© the artist. Image credit: Tracy Jenkins / Art UK
War Memorial 1919
Eric Gill (1882–1940) and Herbert Joseph Cribb (1892–1967)
Stone
H 26 x W 53 x D 53 cm

© the copyright holder. Image credit: Andrew Lloyd / Art UK
Stone of Destiny
Stone of Destiny
George Ralston Wyllie (1921–2012)
Concrete & aluminium
The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum

© George Wyllie Estate. Image credit: The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum
The Book 1998
Peter W. Nicholas (1934–2015)
Slate & marble
H 183 cm

© the copyright holder. Image credit: Tony Bennett / Art UK
Constantly to Light 2015
Peter Coates (b.1963)
Branshaw sandstone, Pentalikon marble & palladium gilding
H 85 x W 36 x D 16 cm
The Laurence Sterne Trust

© the artist. Image credit: The Laurence Sterne Trust
X 1966
William Turnbull (1922–2012)
Galvanised painted steel
Yorkshire Sculpture Park

© Courtesy of the Artist's Estate and YSP. Image credit: Jonty Wilde. Courtesy of YSP
No and No and No c.1972
Bernard Schottlander (1924–1999)
Painted steel
H 109 x W 63 x D 46 cm
Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre

© the artist's estate. Image credit: Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre
I Love Real Life
I Love Real Life 2007
Ross Sinclair (b.1966)
Neon & perspex
H 26 x W 122 x D 8.5 cm
The Pier Arts Centre

© the artist. Image credit: The Pier Arts Centre
At Night This Water Turns Black
At Night This Water Turns Black 2014
Laure Prouvost (b.1978)
Oil, collage, varnish on board & glass of water
H 26.5 x W 21 cm
Government Art Collection

© Laure Prouvost. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Government Art Collection
Chthonic Box
Chthonic Box 1974
Joe Tilson (1928–2023)
Wood & mixed media
H 96.5 x W 106.5 x D 9.5 cm
Government Art Collection

© DACS 2024. Image credit: Government Art Collection
More Passion
More Passion 2010
Tracey Emin (b.1963)
Coral pink neon
H 46 x W 112 cm
Government Art Collection

© Tracey Emin. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Government Art Collection
Work No. 253: THINGS 2000
Martin Creed (b.1968)
Yellow neon
H 14.5 x W 75 cm
Government Art Collection

© Martin Creed. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Government Art Collection
wavespeech
wavespeech 2015
Edmund de Waal (b.1964)
Gilt
H 12 x W 1495 cm
The Pier Arts Centre

© the artist. Image credit: The Pier Arts Centre
'We are the music makers…'
'We are the music makers…' 2006
Angela Godfrey (b.1939)
Lime
H 133 x W 29.5 x D 8 cm
Harlow Art Trust

© the artist. Image credit: Harlow Art Trust
Le Bouan crapaud (Toad)
Le Bouan crapaud (Toad) 2004
Gordon Young (b.1952)
Polished Jersey granite
H 274 cm

© the artist. Image credit: Mary P Crowther / Art UK
Stone Panel*
The Beloved Disciple Stone Panel* 17th C
unknown artist
Alabaster
H 26 x W 22 x D 8 cm
English Heritage, Helmsley Archaeological Store

Image credit: Historic England Archive
Typewriter
Typewriter
Amy Bonsor (b.1986)
Textile
Leicestershire County Council Artworks Collection

© the artist. Image credit: Leicestershire County Council Artworks Collection
Transnational Anthem 2
Transnational Anthem 2 1998
Jaime Gili (b.1972)
Customised car plates
H 52 x W 11 x D 5 cm
Essex Collection of Art from Latin America

© Essex Collection of Art from Latin America. Image credit: Essex Collection of Art from Latin America
Happy Hour in the Harmful Factory
Happy Hour in the Harmful Factory 2019
Annabel McCourt (b.1975)
Mixed media & neon
Scarborough Museums and Galleries

© the artist. Image credit: Scarborough Museums Trust & Annabel McCourt
Field Holler
Field Holler 2015
Martin Reilly (b.1958) and Jim Carruth (b.1963)
Stone
H 167 x W 63 x D 17 cm
Corbenic Poetry Path

© Jim Carruth & Corbenic Poetry Path. Image credit: Corbenic Poetry Path
Memorial to Francis Crick (1916–2004)
Memorial to Francis Crick (1916–2004) 2013
Roger Carpenter and Brown and Ralph and Lida Lopes Cardozo Kindersley (b.1954)
Stone
H 5 x W 240 x D 640 cm
Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge

© the copyright holders. Image credit: Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge
One Cannot Collect All the Beautiful Shells on the Beach
One Cannot Collect All the Beautiful Shells on the Beach 2002
Lida Lopes Cardozo Kindersley (b.1954)
Stone
H 21.2 x W 104 x D 104.5 cm
Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

© the artist. Image credit: Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Decorative Masks and Associated Carving
Decorative Masks and Associated Carving 1905–1907
H. H. Martyn & Co. (active 1888–1971)
Doulton Carrara terracotta

© the copyright holder. Image credit: Gordon Baird / Art UK
What's the Point of Robbery When Nothing is Worth Taking?
What's the Point of Robbery When Nothing is Worth Taking? 2009
Jonathan Boyle (b.1971)
Perspex, vinyl & aluminium
H 40 x W 150 x D 16.8 cm
Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives

© the artist. Image credit: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
In Course of Arrangement
In Course of Arrangement 2005
Peter Saville (b.1955) and Anna Blessmann (b.1969)
Etched & colour infilled satin clear acrylic plastic
H 10.3 x W 15.1 x D 5.2 cm
Government Art Collection

© the artists. Image credit: Peter Abrahams, courtesy Paul Stolper Gallery, London 2019
Afterlight
Afterlight 2017
Martin Reilly (b.1958) and Gavin Clark (1969–2015)
Honister slate
H 60 x W 30.8 x D 8.2 cm
Corbenic Poetry Path

© Gavin Clark & Corbenic Poetry Path. Image credit: Corbenic Poetry Path
The Great Debate Plinth
The Great Debate Plinth 2010
Alec Peever (b.1954)
Limestone (?)
H 121 x W 42.5 x D 43 cm
Oxford University Museum of Natural History

© the artist. Image credit: Oxford University Museum of Natural History
*Stone Monolith
Woodkirk Stone Monolith 2008–2009
Teucer Wilson (b.1968)
Stone
H 173 x W 72 x D 44 cm
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

© the artist. Image credit: Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
Altrincham Totem
Altrincham Totem 2016 or before
Chris Brammall (b.1973)
Lacquered steel
H 396 cm

© the artist. Image credit: Martin Henderson / Art UK
Suncycle
Suncycle 1968
Kenelm Cox (1927–1968)
Brass & motor
H 46 x W 5 x D 1 cm
Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre

© the copyright holder. Image credit: Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre, London
Faded Wallpaper
Faded Wallpaper c.1988
Tina Keane (b.1940)
Neon
H 18 x W 85 cm
Government Art Collection

© the artist. Image credit: Government Art Collection
Hope 2017
Geza Sallai (b.1967)
Cast bronze & stainless steel
H 147 x W 84 x D 10 cm
Corbenic Poetry Path

© Corbenic Poetry Path. Image credit: Corbenic Poetry Path
Peace 2017
Margaret Preston (b.1958)
Acrylic, metal, wood, LEDs, spent rifle cartridges & blackboard paint
H 212 x W 49.4 x D 51 cm
Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture

© the artist. Image credit: Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture