DOZENS of drawings, etchings and paintings by one of the world's leading sculptors have gone on show.

The work of sculptor Michel Sandle is on display at the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery, in Durham, until Sunday, June 5.

One of the few contemporary artists to tackle the subject of war, he is renowned for his memorial on the island of Malta, in the Mediterranean.

County council arts development manager Neil Hillier said: "Michael Sandle is recognised as one of the finest sculptors in the world, and to have such a high-profile exhibition here gives a major boost to the DLI's reputation. Although widely recognised for his sculptures, drawing is an equally important aspect of his work."

Among the works is a series of five large watercolours of the eruption of Mount St Helens, in Washington State, in 1980.

He is famed for his semi-architectural Malta Siege-Bell Memorial, at Valletta. Its centrepiece bronze bell, Santa Maria, weighs about 13 tonnes - one of the largest ever cast.

The DLI is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Admission is £3, £2 for concessions, £1.25 for a child and £7 for a family ticket.

Published: 26/04/2005