A ‘TRUE son of Barnsley’ whose sculptures across the country captured the public’s hearts is proud of his MBE – but asked for the chance to receive it in his beloved hometown instead of Windsor Castle.
Graham Ibbeson has done much to raise the profile of the town through his unique, poignant and often humorous work which can be seen both in Barnsley and locations all around the UK.
His bulging catalogue of work includes several in Barnsley town centre – such as the Kes statue, his ‘Reverence’ Covid-19 remembrance piece and Dickie Bird – as well as his depictions of Eric Morecambe, Don Revie, Benny Hill and Laurel and Hardy.
Graham told the Chronicle it was an ‘honour’ to become a Member of the British Empire – but admitted receiving it in Barnsley was the icing on the cake.
He said: “I had been invited to receive it at Windsor Castle on a few different occasions but I was taken ill on one and was away on the other, so I just asked whether or not it’d be possible to receive it in Barnsley.
“They accepted and I’m so glad they did as although it would have been an honour to go to Windsor Castle, receiving it in my hometown – which I love and has been a key part of my life – was great.
“It’s a proud achievement but at the same time it’s one that came out of the blue.
“I never set out in my career to achieve it – I’ve just gone forward through my love of sculpting and art – but it’s most definitely something for not just myself but my family, too.”
Graham, whose early years were spent in Shafton and Cudworth having been born in 1951, attended Leicester Polytechnic before stints in Nottingham and the Royal College of Art in London.
Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, Dame Hilary Chapman, conducted Graham’s investiture at the ceremony and paid tribute to the impact he’s had on not just his hometown but elsewhere across the country, too.
She added: “Graham is an artist of international renown and was born in Barnsley, where he still very proudly resides.
“He has brought both awareness of the arts, and tangible economic benefits to towns across the north of England through his work, by driving footfall to those areas to view his masterpieces.
“Graham is one of the UK’s most significant creators of the sculptured medium, achieving huge success as an acclaimed sculptor, creating well over 30 pieces for public display.
“He is known for immortalising figures from the world of entertainment and sport – one of his most famous works is the statue of Eric Morecambe, unveiled by Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1999.
“For someone who has achieved such remarkable renown nationally and internationally, Graham has remained deeply connected to and supportive of both his family and his local community, being referred to as ‘the people’s sculptor’.
“He has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to create unique pieces that resonate with local people.
“His largest and most poignant work is ‘Reverence’, unveiled in Barnsley town centre in November 2021, serving as the first permanent memorial in the UK to remember those who lost their lives in the Covid-19 pandemic and recognising the contributions and sacrifices made by many key workers, volunteers and communities.
“Graham has also actively supported young people in Barnsley acting as a role model, raising awareness of careers in the cultural and creative industries, targeting in particular, those communities who may be less advantaged than others.
“In recognition of his great service to his local area, Graham was awarded the honour of Freedom of the Borough by Barnsley Council in 2022.
“The MBE is awarded for outstanding achievement and service to the community and in this case, that community is local, national, international, broad and deep, and the impact Graham has had has most certainly been significant and sustained.
“We are blessed that this man of extraordinary talent, a man of humility and modesty, has maintained his roots firmly in his home town of Barnsley.
“I was delighted that our sculptor chose to have his investiture and receive his award locally in Barnsley, just one of the places he has left an indelible mark as a result of an outstanding career and remarkable commitment to the arts.”