Famous for a tiger shark preserved in formaldehyde and a diamond-encrusted skull sculpture, Turner Prize-winning British artist Damien Hirst has partnered with a stately home in Norfolk, UK, to exhibit a series of spot paintings.
A rather unusual backdrop for the contemporary artworks, Houghton Hall was built in the early 1700s for Britain’s de facto first prime minister, Sir Robert Walpole. Now an attraction, visitors this summer will find the family portraits that adorned the walls of the State Rooms have been replaced by 46 new and previously unseen paintings from Hirst’s Colour Space series, while nine of his large-scale bronze sculptures scatter the gardens.
Colour Space is an evolution of the Britart pioneer’s iconic Spot Paintings, the first of which he painted in 1986.
“The Spot Paintings … always look happy, although there’s an unease there too because the colours don’t repeat when you expect them to,” says Hirst. “I originally wanted the Spots to look like they were painted by a human trying to paint like a machine. Colour Space is going back to the human element, so instead you have the fallibility of the human hand in the drips and inconsistencies. There are still no two exact colours that repeat in each painting, which is really important to me. I think of them as cells under a microscope.
“It felt right to show them somewhere historic rather than in a conventional gallery space and Houghton’s perfect. It feels totally right,” the artist says.
Visitors to Houghton Hall can also enjoy the walled garden, restaurant and shop and experience the Soldier Museum, which contains the largest private collection of model soldiers in the world. The State Rooms themselves are richly decorated, filled with opulent furniture and sumptuous furnishings, and were designed to impress Walpole’s important guests.
“We’re delighted to have this opportunity to show Damien Hirst’s new paintings in the State Rooms at Houghton, together with some of his best-known sculptures in the grounds,” says Lord Cholmondeley, who owns the property. “It is the first time that Hirst has shown a significant body of work in a classical country house setting.”
Damien Hirst at Houghton Hall: Colour Space Paintings and Outdoor Sculptures is open to the public until 15 July.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2018 issue 2
People profile: Damien Hirst
Turner Prize-winning artist Damien Hirst exhibits a series of spot paintings and huge sculptures at a Norfolk stately home
People profile: Penka Kouneva
Movie and video game composer Penka Kouneva moves into the world of attractions with the Heroes and Legends exhibit and VR installations
Industry Opinion: Zoos & Aquariums
WAZA’s Sabrina Brando on providing animals with opportunities for choices, stimulating environments and enriching activities
Interview: Sultan Al Dhaheri
With the launch of Warner Bros World and
the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, the Department
of Culture and Tourism’s Sultan Al Dhaheri
explains how investing in attractions is
helping the emirate meet its tourism goals
Animal sanctuaries: Paws for Thought
The UK’s Big Cat Sanctuary is the subject
of a recent BBC documentary. Managing
director Giles Clark explains how the
facility works – and introduces Maya
the jaguar and Willow the cheetah
Science Centres: Getting Engaged
Researchers Dr Amy Seakins and
Dr Heather King explain how science
capital empowers science centres
to engage wider audiences in STEM,
plus European initiatives in action
Digital art: Light Fantastic
Tokyo-based digital art collective teamLab is
on a mission to change the way we interact
with and experience art. Magali Robathan
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and their upcoming museum launch
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
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Famous for a tiger shark preserved in formaldehyde and a diamond-encrusted skull sculpture, Turner Prize-winning British artist Damien Hirst has partnered with a stately home in Norfolk, UK, to exhibit a series of spot paintings.
A rather unusual backdrop for the contemporary artworks, Houghton Hall was built in the early 1700s for Britain’s de facto first prime minister, Sir Robert Walpole. Now an attraction, visitors this summer will find the family portraits that adorned the walls of the State Rooms have been replaced by 46 new and previously unseen paintings from Hirst’s Colour Space series, while nine of his large-scale bronze sculptures scatter the gardens.
Colour Space is an evolution of the Britart pioneer’s iconic Spot Paintings, the first of which he painted in 1986.
“The Spot Paintings … always look happy, although there’s an unease there too because the colours don’t repeat when you expect them to,” says Hirst. “I originally wanted the Spots to look like they were painted by a human trying to paint like a machine. Colour Space is going back to the human element, so instead you have the fallibility of the human hand in the drips and inconsistencies. There are still no two exact colours that repeat in each painting, which is really important to me. I think of them as cells under a microscope.
“It felt right to show them somewhere historic rather than in a conventional gallery space and Houghton’s perfect. It feels totally right,” the artist says.
Visitors to Houghton Hall can also enjoy the walled garden, restaurant and shop and experience the Soldier Museum, which contains the largest private collection of model soldiers in the world. The State Rooms themselves are richly decorated, filled with opulent furniture and sumptuous furnishings, and were designed to impress Walpole’s important guests.
“We’re delighted to have this opportunity to show Damien Hirst’s new paintings in the State Rooms at Houghton, together with some of his best-known sculptures in the grounds,” says Lord Cholmondeley, who owns the property. “It is the first time that Hirst has shown a significant body of work in a classical country house setting.”
Damien Hirst at Houghton Hall: Colour Space Paintings and Outdoor Sculptures is open to the public until 15 July.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2018 issue 2
People profile: Damien Hirst
Turner Prize-winning artist Damien Hirst exhibits a series of spot paintings and huge sculptures at a Norfolk stately home
People profile: Penka Kouneva
Movie and video game composer Penka Kouneva moves into the world of attractions with the Heroes and Legends exhibit and VR installations
Industry Opinion: Zoos & Aquariums
WAZA’s Sabrina Brando on providing animals with opportunities for choices, stimulating environments and enriching activities
Interview: Sultan Al Dhaheri
With the launch of Warner Bros World and
the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, the Department
of Culture and Tourism’s Sultan Al Dhaheri
explains how investing in attractions is
helping the emirate meet its tourism goals
Animal sanctuaries: Paws for Thought
The UK’s Big Cat Sanctuary is the subject
of a recent BBC documentary. Managing
director Giles Clark explains how the
facility works – and introduces Maya
the jaguar and Willow the cheetah
Science Centres: Getting Engaged
Researchers Dr Amy Seakins and
Dr Heather King explain how science
capital empowers science centres
to engage wider audiences in STEM,
plus European initiatives in action
Digital art: Light Fantastic
Tokyo-based digital art collective teamLab is
on a mission to change the way we interact
with and experience art. Magali Robathan
reports on the group’s installation work
and their upcoming museum launch
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