Abbot Hall: its structure, history and cultural context

Abbot Hall's first Director, Helen Kapp, aimed for the gallery to "give much delight to the eye, but also we want to see it as a stimulating and vibrating place - a place where clashes of ideas and feeling will generate new thoughts and ideas that will reverberate in all our lives... On the surface it is tranquil enough, but somehow a tension is built up between the beauty, familiar though it is, of the 18th century rooms below and the more disturbing, challenging and less familiar images of modem art to be seen above."

The exhibiting artists are Rachel Bracha, Peter Dukes, Nicky Hirst, Jane Langley, David Mabb, Paula Mettler, Simon Morley, Kathleen Mullaniff, Kate Scrivener, Gary Simmonds, Finlay Taylor, Miranda Whall, Elaine Wilson and Jennifer Wright. They work with a diverse range of media including photography, painting, drawing and installations. Through their work, they have created connections with the physical spaces of Abbot Hall and its wonderful collection of paintings, furniture and objects. In addition to the visible 'fabric' of the building, some artists are also responding to the inspirational landscape of the Lake District, to the people who lived in and around Abbot Hall, and to the trades that made the area at one time so wealthy, but which have now largely disappeared.

As well as displaying works in the neutral white walled upstairs galleries, pieces will also be installed in the furnished Georgian rooms on the ground floor. Many of the artists have created works that refer to the decorative arts and by doing so, they challenge the notion of decorative art playing a secondary role to fine art.

The exhibition has been curated by Jane Langley, who has also recently curated SHOWHOUSE at Pitshanger Manor, Ealing, and LOOP at the Bankfield Museum. Halifax. 

Jennifer Wright
'Domain'

Finlay Taylor
'British Butterflies and Moths'  

Fabric: Reinterpreting the House

Fabric is an exhibition of work by fourteen contemporary visual artists who have taken their inspiration from the unique environment of Abbot Hall - its structure. history and cultural context. The artists work with a diverse range of media. including photography, painting, drawing and installations. Through their work, they have created conneetions with the physical space of Abbot Hall and its wonderful collection of paintings. furniture and objeets.
In addition to the visible 'fabric' of the house. the artists are also responding to the inspirational landscape of the Lake District. to the people who lived in and around Abbot Hall. and to the trades that made the area at one
 

Exhibiting artists: Rachel Bracha. Peter Dukes, Nicky Hirst, Jane Langley. Dave Mabb. Paula Mettler, Simon Morley. Kathleen Mullaniff. Kate Scrivener. Gary Simmonds, Finlay Taylor. Miranda Whall. Jennifer Wright. Elaine Wilson.