The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds is showing the first survey and most comprehensive exhibition of the work of English artist Roger Ackling (1947 – 2014) – one of the most quietly influential artists of the late twentieth century.

Ackling spent fifty years making objects by burning wood – focusing sunlight through the lens of a hand-held magnifying glass, to scorch repeated patterns of lines on their surfaces; he collected driftwood from the beach at Weybourne, near his home on the Norfolk coast, as well as reclaimed broken and discarded materials.

This exhibition reveals the breadth of his practice, from his earliest experiments with a lens through to his final works. He became known for his work on found driftwood, which will be on display alongside lesser-known sculptures made using domestic wooden objects and tools, and those incorporating ready-made elements, such as elastic bands and mapping pins. Photographs, sketches, notes and the bag he took out with him when making work are on display in the exhibition, providing a full picture of the artist and his work.

Following his death, Roger Ackling’s archive was given to Leeds Museums & Galleries’ Archive of Sculptors’ Papers, at the Institute.

Curator Amanda Geitner has developed the display in partnership with the artist’s estate, Annely Juda Fine Art, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, and the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness, Orkney, where the exhibition will travel to open 12th July. An accompanying hardback publication includes contributions from Sylvia Ackling, Amanda Geitner, Rosy Gray, Dean Hughes, Louis Nixon and Ian Parker, alongside a wealth of illustrations of works and archival material.

Admission is free.