Anish Kapoor, and more, at Houghton Hall
There were so many truly fabulous and innovative opportunities to experience art and culture on offer during lockdown, that it wasn’t until I visited the Anish Kapoor exhibition at Houghton Hall in Norfolk that I realised quite how much I’d missed seeing art, and specifically in this monumental, dazzling case , sculpture, in the flesh.
Two of the Anish Kapoor sculptures in the grounds of Houghton Hall
There certainly can’t be many more impressive or memorable ways to be re-introduced to the joys of art up-close, than this marrying of the Turner prize-winner’s largest UK outdoor exhibition (there are pieces and working drawings indoors as well) and the immaculate, elegant grounds of one of the country’s finest Palladian mansions.
Carefully positioned pieces
Ten huge sculptures, most carved from stone, including several in temptingly tactile pink swirled marble, are placed around the landscaped gardens. A couple you come across in clearings, or along tree edged paths. Two more sit in a tucked-away courtyard.
Grace made from marble and Imminence carved from onyx
But the stand-out star of the show is positioned slap in the middle of the wide, lawned avenue directly facing the colonnaded facade of the eighteenth century Hall.
The main attraction
Sky Mirror, the main attraction of the Anish Kapoor exhibition at Houghton Hall
Sky Mirror is a vast, 5 metre diameter concave mirror of polished stainless steel, angled to reflect the sky and simultaneously transform the landscape. Even on a day as grey as the one we visited on, the huge circular portion of sky trapped in the bowl of the orb is mesmerising.
Beautiful and arresting from a distance, as you approach it, the cupped curve appears to transform into a globe, creating a hypnotic sphere of cloud and sky. I can only imagine how much more dazzling it must be on a sunny day.
Colours and colonnades
A number of smaller, brightly coloured spheres can be found in the ornate, stately stone hall, (one of only two inside rooms that are currently open, the rest remain shut because of Covid restrictions) balanced on top of curved plinths and reflecting the lavishly carved ceiling so that it appears to be on the floor.
Colourful Mirror Works and the sinuous Mollis in the ornate Stone Hall
Other deceptively simple but typically challenging pieces are on display in the small south wing gallery and there are a selection of working drawings that have never been shown in public before (to be honest, I found those less than captivating).
What you need to know
The exhibition was due to start in March but was delayed due to the pandemic and opened in July instead. It will run until Nov 1st, so there’s still plenty of time to see it. Visitor numbers are strictly limited and entry - to the whole estate and the exhibition itself - is by pre-booked ticket only. All details and information are on the Houghton Hall website
Lots more to see
Whilst the Kapoor sculptures are certainly the current draw to visit Houghton Hall, the house and gardens are a rewarding and enjoyable destination at any time, thanks to a myriad of features and attractions.
The glorious grounds also include a beautiful walled garden (sadly shut on the day of our visit), and the 450 acres of parkland that surround the house are home to an unusual herd of white fallow deer, along with 12 other deer species including several endangered groups from around the world, living on the estate as part of a conservation initiative.
Some of Houghton Hall’s resident herd of unusual white fallow deer
There’s a permanent collection too
And although the Kapoor installations are only in place until November, they join a number of other permanent sculptures by world renowned artists including Henry Moore and Rachel Whiteread, that form part of a growing collection commissioned and bought by Houghton’s owner, Lord Cholmondeley (who lives in the house with his young family), who’s aim is “that in time Houghton will become a must-see destination for those interested in contemporary sculpture.”
One of Houghton Hall’s permanent sculpture collection - Waterflame by Jeppe Hein. And yes, that’s a burning flame in the water spout at the top!
I’d say that time is already here, and that no visit would be complete without venturing up the wooden ramp to experience the unexpectedly spell-binding Skyspace: Seldom Seen, by American artist James Turrell, the first piece commissioned for the collection.
The simple exterior of Skyspace: Seldom Seen by James Turrell. (The ramp makes it easily accessible for wheelchairs and buggies alike)
Inside the stark, empty space, visitors sit on the benches around the sides and gaze at the sky through the sharp-edged rectangular opening in the roof
It’s more impactful on a sunny day! (Image from the Houghton Hall website)
The stunning Stables
The beautifully maintained Stables block houses an excellent cafe and gift shop, along with a marvellously eccentric and splendid toy soldier museum, a legacy of the 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley’s obsessive interest in collecting (he amassed the largest private collection in the world) and presenting the thousands of tiny models in intricately staged displays.
An intricate staging of the Battle of Waterloo featuring just some of the tens of thousands of model soldiers on display in the Soldier Museum
Look at what I mean about intricate - that’s ‘smoke’ coming out of the cannons!
This one’s pretty gruesome
But they’re not all battle scenes. This is Vienna in 1895
Along another side of the elegant courtyard is a gallery space created around the original horse stables, currently housing an exhibition of works by over 40 artists exploring the natural landscape.
Art and architecture, gardens and parkland, displays and diversions Houghton Hall has something for everyone.
Find everything you need to know to plan your visit on the Houghton Hall website.
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