Sculptures inspired by the Old Parcels Office at Scarborough Railway Station go on show - when to see them

For the showcase called Passengers each artist visited the building and produced a piece reflecting its use as a waiting room and parcels office, writes Sue Wilkinson.

“The whole idea is of things passing through on a journey,” said Sally Gorman, chairwoman of Scarborough Studios, the charity which owns and runs the space.

The exhibition statement says: A passage can be a journey, of safety or escape, yet also an entrance, opening or way through; Passages at the Old Parcel Office materialises these temporary encounters where things are always in the process of moving through, both physically and metaphysically, as eighteen individual sculptural works exhibited here together for the first time.

READ about the latest exhibition at Woodend in Scarborough here

The Yorkshire Sculptors Group was formed in 1985 with the intention of bringing together sculptors living and working in the Yorkshire region to promote and disseminate their work through exhibition and discussion.

The group has exhibited their sculptural work in venues throughout Yorkshire and beyond, from York Minster, the Cathedrals of Ripon and Durham, the Bowes museum, to many public and private galleries in London and across the UK.

Exhibiting artists are:

Sally Barker, Paula Chambers, Liadin Cooke, Victoria Ferrand Scott, Deborah Gardner, Carole Griffiths, Terrence Hammill, George Hainsworth, Lucy Hainsworth, Christine Halsey, Vincent James, Lewis Robinson, Linda Thompson.

Victoria Ferrand Scott’s piece is called Wish You Were Here and is a plinth of suitcases with a toy boat and children’s beach buckets on the top.

The exhibition coincided with Victoria sorting old photograph albums and she was surprised to find Scarborough reappearing through the generations of different branches of her family.

Portraits on the buckets are likenesses of her grandparents and one is of her father 80 years ago.

“The suitcases in the sculpture act as a plinth for the cartful of memories which are empty but for the labels which bear witness to journeys forgotten,” said the artist.

Nearby textile rollerskates – Safe Passage by Vincent James – are reminiscent of modern times and a different generation.

The Old Parcels Office re-opened earlier this year and is now home to seven artists’ studios, a learning space and gallery.

Funding has come from the Railway Heritage Trust, English Heritage, the Arts Council and Europe – with former chairwoman of Scarborough Studios Jo Davis spearheading the drive to open the space. It has also hosted two sell-out music nights, pop-up drama and a zine night.

“The idea is to have a different each month with a broad range of work to appeal to different segments of the community,” said Sally.

“We are trying to put it on the map not just for Scarborough but also for further afield ... to put us on the map for contemporary art which complements work being done at Scarborough Art Gallery and Crescent Arts.”

Work has started on a winter labyrinth for thee next exhibition opening on Saturday December 4. Passengers runs until Sunday November 28. The Old Parcels Office is open from Thursday to Sunday from 11am to 4pm.

Entry is free.

READ about Christmas activities at Scarborough Art Gallery and Rotunda museum here