The exhibition comprises Moore's work from 1938 to 1954, a period that included major public sculptures, the iconic stringed pieces, lithographs, textiles and the poignant shelter drawings that brought him fame as a war artist in the early 1940s. The vitality of Moore's style is on show in some of his most affecting works, from sketches of confining tube and mine passages to the developing language of the human body displayed in the helmet, reclining figures and family groups.

The Atrium and galleries of the Imperial War Museum provide a unique and extraordinary setting for Moore's work. Here, amongst the machines of war, the influence of technology and the dignity of his figures in the face of fear and chaos are revealed.