Folded: new exhibition of site-specific work by first minimalist artist-in-residence at historic Leighton House
- New site-responsive works by first minimalist artist to work in the Victorian interiors of Leighton House
- Artist-in-residence scheme provides a unique platform for contemporary artists to develop new work informed by a historic location
- Burnett’s sculptures prompt different ways of exploring the opulent interior of the house and Leighton’s paintings
- 7 December 2011 – 5 January 2012, Leighton House Museum, Holland Park Road, W14
IMAGES: http://bit.ly/FoldedImages
Private view: Tuesday 6 December. 18.30 – 21.00, Leighton House Museum. RSVP susannah.glynn@kallaway.com; 020 7221 7883
The dramatic, swirling drapery in the work of Frederick, Lord Leighton, and the spectacular Middle Eastern-inspired interiors of Leighton House provide the reference points for Folded, a new exhibition of unique site-specific work by minimalist sculptor Clare Burnett.
The exhibition is the result of a six month residency at the Museum, which is administered by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, The scheme, which provides a unique platform for new art from established artists at mid-points in their careers, runs alongside the Culture Service programme, which works to drive major artistic ventures, fresh ideas, talent and opportunities – as well as enrich the lives of those who live and work in Kensington and Chelsea.
The first minimalist artist to work in the house, Burnett is the sixth artist to be appointed for the scheme, The show will be one of the rare times when contemporary art is displayed in the historic parts of the house, including Leighton’s own bedroom, as well as the main gallery.
Folded takes the form of two series which bring together themes of travel, form, colour and the contrast between opulence and simplicity, with Burnett’s own interest in using art to look anew at our surroundings.
In the first series, her crumpled paper pieces draw attention to the overly dramatic rendering of drapery in works such as ‘Daedalus and Icarus’ and ‘Greek Girls Playing at Ball’, which are generally noted for their design restraint. Coloured using pigment and acrylic and then soaked in shellac – in much the same way as the tiles in the house’s iconic Arab Hall are painted and then glazed - the works will be displayed in the historic rooms of the house, such as Leighton’s bedroom, alongside photogravures of the paintings that inspired them.
In the box-like interior of the Museum’s Perrin Gallery, her cardboard box pieces, created out of aluminium and painted in cyans, reds, oranges and green yellows - colours which resonate with the colour scheme in the house in terms of weight and energy - embody the idea of the global travel of goods, and by extension the journey made by the elements in the interior decoration of Leighton House, which includes the UK’s largest collections of 16thand 17thcentury Damascene tiles.
The works are informed by blown paper and discarded cardboard found by Burnett on the streets of London. These relate to the themes on different levels, including the forms of the wind-blown robes of the figures in Leighton’s paintings, and the discarded cardboard boxes left outside homes and offices once they have been emptied of their cargo.
Clare Burnett, artist, says: ‘At first I thought the residency would be just about how I could work in a historical space, but I have been surprised by the way so many themes that run through my work have been brought together: the discarded materials I’ve been experimenting with, how pared down shapes can articulate a space, and how we relate visually and philosophically to a space. The residency has also made me push my work further and raised new questions for the future.’
Cllr Nicholas Paget-Brown, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Transport, Environment, and Leisure Services, said: ‘I am delighted to see new work being created at this unique location, part of the rich cultural heritage of the borough. The artist in residence scheme is a fitting way to honour this heritage, in that it celebrates Lord Leighton’s magnificent house and simultaneously provides a platform for nurturing cutting-edge artistic talent.’
Daniel Robbins, curator at Leighton House, says: ‘We immediately wanted to collaborate with Clare, impressed by her particular sensitivity to the environment and context in which she works. Through her residency she has forged exciting new connections between contemporary and historic artwork and prompted us look in new and different ways at the examples of Leighton’s work that surround us.’
- ENDS -
Press Information and Images: Kallaway PR
Susannah Glynn, susannah.glynn@kallaway.com, 020 7221 7883
Maxim Bendall maxim.bendall@kallaway.com; 020 7221 7883
IMAGES: http://bit.ly/FoldedImages
About the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s Culture Service
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is home to a vibrant community of creative people; from large cultural institutions to independent producers, performers, artists and creative businesses. The Culture Service is building on the uniqueness and identity of the Royal Borough to drive major creative ventures, fresh ideas, talent, creative exchanges and nurturing networks that benefit all who visit, live and work in the Royal Borough.
Website: www.rbkc.gov.uk/culture
Twitter: @RBKCculture
About Leighton House Museum
12 Holland Park Road London, UK W14 8LZ, 020 7602 3316
Open daily except Tuesday 10am – 5.30pm Adults £5, Concessions £3
Located on the edge of Holland Park in Kensington, the house is one of the most remarkable buildings of the 19th century.
The house was the former home and studio of the leading Victorian artist, Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896). The Arab Hall is the centerpiece of the house. Designed to display Leighton's priceless collection of over a thousand Islamic tiles, mostly brought back from Damascus in Syria, the interior with its gold mosaics, marble columns and golden dome evokes a compelling vision of the Orient.
The opulence continues through the other richly decorated interiors, with elaborate mosaic floors and walls lined with peacock blue tiles by the ceramic artist William De Morgan. On the first floor is the Silk Room with its display of paintings by Leighton’s friends and contemporaries and the grand painting studio with its great north window, dome and apse – the room in which all Leighton’s important later works were produced including the celebrated Flaming June.
Leighton rose to become the President of the Royal Academy in 1878 and the pre-eminent classical painter of his age. He remains the only British artist to have been raised to the peerage, becoming Baron Leighton of Stretton just before he died. He was buried in St Paul’s cathedral amidst great ceremony.
The house was restored to great acclaim in 2009 and contains a number of the paintings and objects that originally belonged to Leighton.
About the artist
Clare Burnett is a painter, sculptor and site-specific artist, based in London. She makes pared-down, abstract artworks which encourage people to engage visually, philosophically and creatively with their environment.
Clare works across disciplines, choosing and experimenting with both art and found materials. She works out of her West London studio and locations where she can make permanent and temporary site-specific works. She has worked in the Brompton Cemetery in London and Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation in Marseille
Clare studied architecture at Christ’s College, Cambridge, fine art at the Byam Shaw School of Art and education at the Institute of Education.
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