The nature of things at Artists House, UK

'Artists' House', the contemporary cottage on the grounds of the New Art Centre in Wiltshire, is the setting for the centre's second design exhibition. Willow sculptor Laura Ellen Bacon contributed with her nest-like installations, which wrap around trees. Pictured here is 'The Swarm'

(Image credit: Chris Elliott)

By Ellen Himelfarb

last updated 26 October 2022

in Features

It's been just over ten years since London architect Stephen Marshall built Artists' House, the contemporary cottage on the grounds of the New Art Centre in Wiltshire and a modern foil for the grand 1804 mansion and Orangery at Roche Court. Originally conceived as a residence for artists putting in long days in the sculpture park, it was repurposed a few years ago by curator Sarah Griffin for the centre's first design exhibition. This weekend Griffin will launch a second design show, which features work by three Britain-based artists - a juxtapostion of domestic household items with larger-than-life creations.

Swiss-born artist Hans Stofer takes up residence - quite literally - on the ground and lower-ground floors, where he has 'unpacked' his personal miscellany. In reality, he has recreated or photographed these everyday things in the studio, yet he exposes them here in such a raw state that the viewer feels like a trespasser in a very private world.

Jennifer Lee, the London-based potter, occupies the first floor with her delicate, earthy ceramic vessels, mathematical in form and yet anachronistic in appearance. Lee's extraordinary talent is in her process: she uses no wheels or glazes, yet attains a warm, sophisticated result with just a hint of (meticulously planned) asymmetry.

There's a duality to Lee's work that seems to be an overriding theme at the Artists' House. Out in the courtyard, especially, the work of Laura Ellen Bacon is at once monumental and inconspicuous, blending into the bucolic grounds. The Derby-based artist sculpts with willow in the image of enormous hornet's nests and organic baskets. Her work seems to cling organically to the sides of buildings, wrap around trees and drape over ancient stone ramparts like overgrowth years in the making.

And yet it will be in situ only until April, which seems slightly surreal. Emptying the Artists' House come spring will be like an exhumation of objects that have collected there over generations.

'Forms of Growth' by Laura Ellen Bacon — 'Forms of Growth'

'Emergent Form', 2009, by Laura Ellen Bacon — 'Emergent Form', 2009,

Swiss-born artist Hans Stofer takes up residence on the ground and lower-ground floors of the Artists' House with his household miscellany. Pictured here is 'Roche Nails for bed - the blood with which i sign this pact'

London-based potter Jennifer Lee displays her earthy ceramics on the first floor. Their mathematical forms belie their organic creation - Lee uses no wheels or glazes in her work. Pictured here is 'Olive, haloed granite bands, granite base'

'Olive, haloed ring, speckled blue'; 'Pale, speckled granite trace' and 'Olive, haloed granite band, granite base' by Jennifer Lee

Any asymmetry in Lee's vessels has been meticulously planned

ADDRESS

Roche Court
East Winterslow
Salisbury, Wiltshire
SP5 1BG

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Based in London, Ellen Himelfarb travels widely for her reports on architecture and design. Her words appear in The Times, The Telegraph, The World of Interiors, and The Globe and Mail in her native Canada. She has worked with Wallpaper* since 2006.