The Farmhouse is situated on the Hauser & Wirth Somerset site, on the edge of Bruton where you can explore the current exhibition in the gallery and Oudolf field.
We encourage you to visit the art centre on-site where you can enjoy a varied exhibition programme, special lectures, educational activities, events and the gallery shop. Their garden, the Oudolf Field, changes every day, depending on the weather, time of day and life cycle of each plant. Its wonderful combination of wilderness and calm never ceases to surprise us.
The work of Phyllida Barlow (1944 – 2023) takes over Hauser & Wirth Somerset in a celebration of the British artist’s transformative approach to sculpture, marking the 10th anniversary of the arts centre that was inaugurated by Barlow’s solo exhibition ‘GIG’ in 2014. The landmark exhibition, curated by Frances Morris, draws on her close working relationship with the artist during her lifetime. ‘Phyllida Barlow. unscripted’ explores the evolution of Barlow’s formal and expressive vocabulary, bringing together singular sculptures, installations, studio maquettes and drawings from her extensive career, some of which are on public view for the first time.
Alongside the exhibition, Hauser & Wirth Learning have launced a new Education Lab, ‘Open Art School’, in partnership with Bath Spa University.
Image: Installation view, ‘Phyllida Barlow. unscripted,’ Hauser & Wirth Somerset, 2024 © Phyllida Barlow Estate. Courtesy Hauser & Wirth the Phyllida Barlow Estate. Photo: Ken Adlard
‘An Uncommon Thread’ will feature 10 contemporary artists living and working in the UK, highlighting the transformative power of unconventional mediums in evoking personal and collective memories. Each artist places an unwavering commitment to the integral role materials and techniques play in their creative process, employing unexpected painting surfaces, adapting formal craft traditions, and repurposing discarded products into compelling works. Through individual investigations of identity, tradition, nature, fantasy, and the environment, the exhibition will invite viewers to engage with the rich stories woven into each work, driven by a curiosity and inventive approach to materiality and process.
This multidisciplinary group exhibition follows ‘Present Tense’ (2024) and is part of an ongoing initiative at the Hauser & Wirth Somerset gallery that champions emerging and mid-career artists beyond Hauser & Wirth’s roster.
Explore from 8th February – 27th April 2025.
Image: Nengi Omuku, Nzogbu Nzogbu (detail), 2024 © Nengi Omuku. Private Collection. Courtesy the artist and Pippy Houldsworth Gallery. Photo: Todd-White Art Photography
