The iconic sculpture Epidauros II by Dame Barbara Hepworth has been carefully relocated from the Malakoff in St Ives to a temporary new home at the Penwith Gallery, where it will remain publicly accessible during planned improvement works to the Malakoff area.

This move is the result of a successful partnership between St Ives Town Council, Tate, Penwith Gallery, Cornwall Council, and Cormac, and forms part of the wider St Ives Town Deal programme.

Epidauros II was Gifted to the Nation by the Hepworth Estate to ensure it remains in public ownership. As custodian, Tate is responsible for its care, while the sculpture’s location, chosen by Hepworth, remains the Malakoff, which is owned by the Town Council.

With major landscaping works due to start later this year, the Town Council, the Tate, Penwith Gallery and Cornwall Council have worked closely to ensure the sculpture’s safety. Thanks to excellent cooperation, the complex security and insurance arrangements required for the move were completed in record time. The sculpture will be on display in the internal courtyard at Penwith Gallery

Specialist art handler Sculpture Transport UK, who also relocated Hepworth’s Dual Form, oversaw the move. The Sculpture movers’ were Damon Bramley of Sculpture Transport UK and Tom Leaper, Artist, and Sculptor, on behalf of Penwith Gallery.

The sculpture is now on public view in Penwith Gallery’s internal courtyard where it will remain on display until it is returned to the Malakoff following completion of the works, currently anticipated by December 2025.

Photo Tom Leaper

To visit the sculpture in its temporary home at Penwith Gallery, head to Back Road West, during their usual opening times.

The scheme at the Malakoff open space is part of the St Ives Town Deal Low Carbon Transport Strategy which aims to reduce the impact of vehicles on St Ives and introduce measures that encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport. It is being delivered by Cornwall Council in partnership with the St Ives Town Deal Board.

Work on the first phase at Malakoff, which included the construction of the new bus layby and amended footpath, was completed earlier this year.

Work on the second phase– providing a new bus shelter, seating, paving and landscaping – will be carried out in the Autumn. Once these works have been completed, both the footway and the carriageway will be resurfaced.