Since 1977 all of David Nash’s sculptures have been made by cutting or carving with axes and different sized chainsaws and he now has an extraordinary adeptness that enables him to make even very delicate works. During a YSP residency in 1982, Nash created site specific works including Barnsley Lump, a rough cube of local coal that connects to the geological and social history of the area. Barnsley Lump is gradually disintegrating back into the earth, as Nash anticipated, describing it as a ‘going work’. At the same time and possibly as a balance, Nash planted a ‘coming work’, Three Stones for Three Trees, a sycamore, oak and beech tree each planted next to a rock, which continues to grow on Driveside. A strong relationship between the artist and YSP was established during those years and in 2010 David Nash returned to YSP for what he described as the most important project of his career.

As part of this major project, David Nash has created a site specific commission on the walking route to Longside via Oxley Bank. Black Steps climbs from the lake up to the top of the bank, connecting the two sides of the valley and the four galleries. Seventy one huge oak steps, carefully charred and oiled to a rich black, follow the lie of the land on the hill. The steps are completed by thirty tons of coal embedded between the steps to create a stunning installation that will erode and change over time. The installation is sensitive to the woodland setting, which becomes covered with bluebells each spring. Referencing the natural cycle of wood and his 1982 YSP commission, Barnsley Lump, the ‘going’ work will remain as a legacy of the 2010 project for many years.