Artist brings Empty Chairs and new work to Warwick church

But Mike Yorke, who is also showcasing new pieces, says he suspects this may be the last time his popular Empty Chairs exhibition will go on display as the British involvement in Afghanistan draws to a close.

When he first created the installation, it consisted of 359 miniature ‘empty chairs’ to represent the number of British servicemen and women killed in the conflict in Afghanistan. The number is now 444.

Since he first displayed the concept in Warwick in March 2011, it has been taken around the country. It has now returned to St Mary’s church in Warwick, where it will be on show until the end of September.

Mike’s new work consists on vessels, which he says represent his “primary expression into human emotions, using carefully chosen materials to represent those emotions”. Through oak and lead he demonstrates the body’s ability to recover from trauma; through plastar he conveys a dichotomy between human brittleness and fragility; and through steel he conveys the qualities of togetherness, strength and solidity within the family unit.

These new pieces are also on display at St Mary’s, until August 20.

For more of Mike’s artwork, see www.mikeyorke.co.uk