'Story of Wool' sculptural mural, International Development Centre, Valley Drive, Ilkley, West Yorkshire

Sculptural mural. 1968 by William Mitchell for the International Wool Secretariat. Bronze-faced Glass reinforced plastic (GRP). Located on lecture theatre of the former technical centre of the International Wool Secretariat of the same date by Richard Collick, which is not of special interest. DESCRIPTION: the flat-roofed lecture theatre projects at first-floor level over a recessed entrance hall and its three elevations are completely covered in the sculptural mural panels. The panels are coloured a green-bronze patina with a charcoal-coloured undertone, giving a greater depth to the sculptural forms. The front, south elevation comprises two planes which are both angled slightly back from the central point. Covering these planes are a number of vertical panels depicting a stylised flock of monumental sheep. Spanning the central point is a huge ram depicted face-on with curled horns, a thick, textured fleece, and cloven hooves. Flanking the ram are two ewes to the left and three ewes to the right, depicted from the side and facing inwards. The mural utilises both relief and recessed elements which give the sheep a monumental sculptural form. A range of textures are also deployed and it is possible to read the mural both as a whole and as a pattern of shapes such as the curve of the horns and the cloven hooves. The left-hand, west elevation comprises a single plane covered by a number of vertical, textured panels. The design is more abstract here, but is intended to represent the manufacturing of wool yarn, the basic processes of which are washing, carding, spinning and weaving. To the left are clusters of small circles, which could be read as soap bubbles, with an area of tangled fibres in the centre and more vertical forms to the right, which could be read as shuttles of thread. There are several areas of discolouration. The right-hand, east elevation comprises a single plane covered by a number of vertical, textured panels. Again more abstract in nature, the panels use images of the close-up structure of wool to form a decorative pattern. Flowing vertical fibres are interspersed with two large, circular discs representing microscopic views. EXCLUSION: the 1968 former technical centre for the International Wool Secretariat, to which the mural is attached, is not of special interest and is excluded from the listing.