Ribbons (sculpture)

2024 sculpture by Pippa Hale in Leeds, England

Ribbons

Ribbons (14 October 2024)

Artist| Pippa Hale
Year| 2024
Medium| Corten steel
Subject| Women of Leeds
Dimensions| 5 m (16 ft)
Location| Leeds
Coordinates| 53°47′55″N 1°32′04″W﻿ / ﻿53.7985°N 1.5344°W﻿ / 53.7985; -1.5344
Website| https://www.ribbons-sculpture-leeds.co.uk/

Ribbons (2024) is an outdoor sculpture in Leeds, England, by Pippa Hale, which was unveiled on 12 October 2024.[1] Shaped like entwined ribbons, this corten steel sculpture celebrates and commemorates the achievements of women in Leeds, by featuring the names of 383 women nominated by the public. This redresses the gender imbalance in public art in Leeds.

## Background

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Segment of Ribbons, featuring geologist Maria Fearne, Alice Bacon, Mel B and Kay Mellor

The project was begun by Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West, who instigated a partnership between Leeds Arts University, Leeds City College and Leeds City Council to create a new public artwork that featured women.[2] Former leader of Leeds City Council, Judith Blake, was a key proponent of the project.[3]

In 2019 four artists – Wendy Briggs, Pippa Hale, Zsófia Jakab and Briony Marshall – were shortlisted after an open call.[4] The four created maquettes which were then exhibited at Leeds Arts University, where members of the public could view them and contribute feedback. This consultation was included in the decision-making process by a panel of judges, including Reeves, to choose the winning sculptor.[5] The chosen artist was Hale, who described her proposal for the sculpture as: "Ribbons tie many parts together, so the idea is that we are binding the names of these women together over time and space in a celebration of womanhood."[6]

The women who feature on the sculpture were nominated by public vote, which opened in October 2019.[7][8] People were encouraged to put forward both famous women from Leeds, and also women whose everyday actions made a difference to the lives of those in their communities.[8]

## Description

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The sculpture is situated in outdoor space between Leeds Playhouse and Leeds City College's Quarry Hill campus.[2][9] At 5 metres (16 ft) tall, it comprises five corten steel ribbons, with women's names cut into them. The names are in sans-serif capital letters without any titles or honorifics, and are arranged randomly. They represent 383 women from Leeds who were nominated to feature in the sculpture.[6][7][9][10]

## Construction

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The firms involved in constructing the sculpture included Fish Fabrications, Norwich;[11] Skyhooks Engineering, Wakefield;[12] and the Fereday Cylinder Company, Dudley.[13][14]

## Reception

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In 2020 Leeds City Council instigated a review its public art, which highlighted the lack of diversity in public sculpture.[6][15] The review was led by Alison Lowe.[16] Ribbons was highlighted as an important part of the process to redress the gender imbalance in public art in the city.[6] At its unveiling Rachel Reeves described how it is "a chance to honour inspiring women from all walks of life, and celebrate the achievements of the many women who have made Leeds the wonderful city it is today".[2]

## Selected women who feature

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Segment of Ribbons with names of Angela Morley and Griselda Pollock

The full list of the 383 women featured, with biographical details and, in most cases, images, is published on the project's website.[17]

* Nicola Adams – Olympic boxer[2]
* Alice Bacon – politician[17]
* Corinne Bailey Rae – songwriter and musician[18]
* Ivy Benson – saxophonist and bandleader[19]
* Judith Blake – policitican[19]
* Melanie Brown/Mel B – singer and activist[17]
* Violet Crowther – curator[18]
* Isabella Ford – suffragist[18]
* Mary Gawthorpe – suffragist[18]
* Alison Lowe – politician[18]
* Lucy Moore – curator[18][19]
* Angela Morley – composer[18]
* Anne Neville – engineer[20]
* Alice Nutter – writer[18]
* Gertrude Paul – teacher and Carnival founder[2]
* Edith Pechey – doctor[19]
* Griselda Pollock – art historian[17]
* Rachel Reeves – politician[18]
* Natasha Sayce-Zelem – technology strategist[21]
* Nadine Senior – founder of Northern School of Contemporary Dance[22]
* Barbara Taylor Bradford – author[18]
* Karen Watson – co-founder East Street Arts[23]
* Sharon Watson – dancer and teacher[22]

## References

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1. ^ "New sculpture of nearly 400 inspirational Leeds women to be unveiled". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 2024-10-09. Archived from the original on 2024-10-09. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
2. ^ a b c d e Vernon, Hayden (2024-10-12). "Leeds sculpture celebrates 400 women, from suffragists to boxers". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
3. ^ Mort, Don (2 June 2024). "'Ribbons' sculpture celebrating inspirational Leeds women set to be installed near Leeds Playhouse". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
4. ^ "Artist Pippa Hale chosen ..." SOYO. 2019-06-14. Archived from the original on 2024-04-21. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
5. ^ Blow, John (14 June 2019). "Leeds artist's design picked for Quarry Hill sculpture celebrating city's women". Yorkshire Evening Post.
6. ^ a b c d "Leeds: Ribbons sculpture celebrates city's inspiring women". BBC News. 2024-10-12. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
7. ^ a b "Ribbons sculpture, Leeds – Pippa Hale". Archived from the original on 2024-05-25. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
8. ^ a b "Names plea for Leeds sculpture celebrating notable women". BBC News. 2019-10-15. Archived from the original on 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
9. ^ a b "Leeds sculpture to celebrate city's notable women". BBC News. 2024-05-05. Archived from the original on 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
10. ^ "About". Ribbons Sculpture Leeds. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
11. ^ "About us". fishfabrications.co.uk. Fish Fabrications. Archived from the original on 6 March 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
12. ^ "About Us". skyhooksengineering.co.uk. Skyhooks Engineering. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
13. ^ "Renowned metal fabrication firm located in the West Midlands". www.feredaycylinder.co.uk. Fereday Cylinder Co. Archived from the original on 22 July 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
14. ^ "About [video]". Ribbons Sculpture Leeds. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024. The three firms are named in the video at 1m12s, 1m40s & 1m51s
15. ^ "Decision – A review of statues in Leeds in response to Black Lives Matter". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. 2020-10-21. Archived from the original on 2024-04-15. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
16. ^ "Public sculpture Ribbons launched to champion women of Leeds: results of public nominations announced! | Leeds Arts University". www.leeds-art.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2024-09-04. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
17. ^ a b c d "383 Inspirational Women of Leeds". Ribbons Sculpture Leeds. Archived from the original on 23 August 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j westleedslife (2024-04-25). "Inspirational women feature in new city sculpture". West Leeds Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2024-06-02. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
19. ^ a b c d Release, Press (2024-04-25). "South Leeds women among those recognised on new sculpture". South Leeds Life. Archived from the original on 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
20. ^ "Pioneering engineer among 20 University staff honoured by new Leeds sculpture". University of Leeds (Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences). Retrieved 2025-01-07.
21. ^ Hindmarsh, Courtney (2024-04-24). "Public sculpture Ribbons launched to champion women of Leeds". Leeds City College. Archived from the original on 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
22. ^ a b "NSCD staff celebrated in new public sculpture for Leeds". Northern School of Contemporary Dance. 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-06-03. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
23. ^ "Karen to appear on public sculpture championing women of Leeds". East Street Arts. Retrieved 2024-10-13.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ribbons (sculpture).

* Official website
* Ribbons – A new sculpture celebrating women of Leeds, by Pippa Hale 2020 video about the project