THE GRAND setting of Arley Hall in Cheshire has become a site for contemporary art this summer courtesy of White Cube. The illustrious London gallery, which also runs spaces in Hong Kong and Paris, has curated an exhibition of more than twenty sculptures in the picturesque gardens surrounding this stately house, famed for its Jacobean Revival architecture – which was constructed some 500 years ago. The presentation marks White Cube’s first-ever outdoor sculpture exhibition and features twelve artists from the gallery’s roster.
Virginia Overton ‘Untitled (chime)’ (2021) White Cube at Arley Hall, until 29 August 2022. Photo © White Cube (Theo Christelis)
Isamu Noguchi ‘Play Sculpture’ (c.1965-80). White Cube at Arley Hall, until 29 August 2022. Photo © White Cube (Theo Christelis)
Cultivated for nearly three centuries, the expansive greenery surrounding Arley is as admired as the historic building’s stunning stained glass and decorative ceilings, and occupies several acres.
The various lawns, ponds and woodland groves can now be enjoyed while contemplating artworks which have been interspersed within the landscape. The sculptures on display range from the monumental to the miniature and transform the scenery in ways that are both subtle and dramatic.
Mona Hatoum ‘Inside Out (concrete)’ (2019).White Cube at Arley Hall, until 29 August 2022. Photo © White Cube (Ollie Hammick)
Created by a diverse group of artists, including Antony Gormley, Tracey Emin, Isamu Noguchi and Danh Vo, the selection of works seamlessly engage with nature, while nonetheless puncturing the landscape in unexpected—and thrilling—ways.
Takis ‘Aeolian’ (1983).White Cube at Arley Hall, until 29 August 2022. Photo © White Cube (Ollie Hammick)
The show offers numerous highlights. Virginia Overton’s Untitled (chime) (2021), in which discarded objects sourced by the American artist become vessels for creating sound, as they interact with the wind, is a standout. Inside Out (concrete) (2019) by British artist Mona Hatoum is a large-scale, spherical composition which reminds one of the structural properties of a brain.
But it is the black-and-green kinetic sculpture, Aeolian (1983), by the self-taught Greek artist Takis, that embodies the notion of art and nature as one.
by Derby Jones
White Cube at Arley Hall runs until 29 August 2022.