Bradford 2025: Wild Uplands project sees Penistone Hill Country Park in Haworth transformed into open-air gallery
One of the region’s greatest sites of natural beauty has been transformed into an open-air gallery with major new artworks.
The moors of Penistone Hill Country Park in Haworth have become the setting for ‘Wild Uplands’ - a series of new contemporary artworks created by national and international artists as part of Bradford 2025 City of Culture.
Music from Bradford-born Delius and three international composers also feature to create an immersive sound walk.
Four artists have been invited to create new public art installations in response to the dramatic and untamed landscape of the North Pennines and the industrial heritage of the quarries which once operated there.
The four new artworks have been installed across the country park for the public to discover as they walk across the moors high above Haworth – home of the Brontë sisters.
The windswept moorlands and panoramic views were the backdrop to many of the Brontë’s most-loved novels and have since inspired generations of artists, writers, and filmmakers.
Meet the artists
Inspired by Bradford’s stories of migration and the resilience of its natural landscape, Pakistani-born artist Meherunnisa Asad has created a vast installation called ‘99 Butterflies’ that contrasts a series of intricate butterflies carved from pink marble with the rugged terrain of Penistone Hill.
Brazilian-born, London-based artist Vanessa da Silva has created a series of colourful, five-metre-high interactive sculptures inspired by natural forms and plants found across the park, which reflect how nature at Penistone Hill has adapted and transformed over the years. The sculptures offer a space for people to gather, rest and connect with the landscape.
Inspired by the tale of the Cottingley Fairies of 1917, when two Yorkshire girls created life-like cutouts of fairies that ignited profound debates on a series of subjects, Berlin-based Monira al Qadiriwill has created sculptures of creatures reflecting on the interplay between fact and fiction.
Finally, UK-artist Steve Messam has created a 10m high tower exploring the natural building blocks of Bradford and reflecting on how the city has been physically shaped by the natural landscape which surrounds it. The tower is inspired by stone drawn from the quarry of the country park and clad in the fleece of local sheep breeds, drawing on the role of wool in the industrial heritage of the district.
Earth & Sky
As well as outdoor sculptures, Wild Uplands also features an immersive sound walk, Earth & Sky, commissioned in partnership with Opera North.
Using geolocation technology via a phone app, this ever-changing sound work will develop as visitors walk through the park, with sounds triggered by their journey through the landscape.
Created by three international composers; the Italian Caterina Barbieri, Kenyan Nyokabi Kariũki and Welsh Gwen Siôn, the new sound work brings together a diverse range of musical influences with field recordings from the local area, poetry by Nabeelah Hafeez, and pieces by Bradford-born composer Frederick Delius, performed by the Orchestra of Opera North.
‘A dynamic and living experience’
Shanaz Gulzar, creative director of Bradford 2025 City of Culture, said: “Wild Uplands is where art, nature and Bradford’s heritage converge – this will be a deep dialogue between the landscape, the seasons, and the people who experience it.
“Set against the dramatic backdrop of Penistone Hill, these pieces will honour the rich history of the land — from its industrial past to the natural beauty that has flourished since. As the seasons shift and the landscape evolves, so too will the artworks, creating a dynamic and living experience for visitors to return to again and again.
“By inviting national and international artists to engage with this iconic site, both visually and aurally, through our collaboration with Opera North and the astounding composers who have produced new music for Earth & Sky, we are reimagining how art can deepen our connection to our uplands.”
The Wild Uplands sculpture trail will be open to the public until October 12. To find out more about what’s on, visit the Bradford 2025 website.