Sculpture in the Home

Pangolin London, one of the few sculpture specialist galleries in the UK, is staging a major exhibition entitled Sculpture in the Home, which will bring together the finest examples in post-war sculpture, furniture and interior design. It will see the gallery space transformed into a series of interior settings reminiscent of the 1940s and 50s.

Featuring the work of many prominent artists of the day, the original Sculpture in the Home exhibitions were the first of their kind to introduce a post-war audience to the concept of displaying sculpture within a domestic setting. Comprised of four successive exhibitions which then toured the country between 1946 – 1959, the Arts Council’s aim was to widen public access to and ownership of sculpture as well as reforming post-war notions of the domestic interior through the integration of art and design.

Highlighting the continued significance of sculpture in everyday life, Pangolin London’s contemporary revision of the show features work by a host of prominent post-war sculptors. Works by many of those artists featured in the original Arts Council exhibitions including Reg Butler, Lynn Chadwick, Geoffrey Clarke and Bernard Meadows will be featured among an intimate setting of exquisite period textiles and furniture.

Challenging dominant contemporary views on the display of art, Sculpture in the Home will once again give people the opportunity to view sculpture within the ‘intimate setting of furniture and textiles, rather than in the more conventional atmosphere of the ordinary gallery exhibition.’

The works in the exhibition reflect this notion of intimacy. As with the original Sculpture in the Home exhibitions, there are a small number of abstract works, but the predominant theme is that of the figure with particular reference to family, relationships and the home.

Pangolin London have partnered with one of the original designers featured in the early Sculpture in the Home exhibitions, Ernest Race. Ernest Race furniture is a bastion of mid-century British style and elegance. His pieces will accompany the sculptural works of his contemporaries in this homage to a period of great innovation, creativity and style in British history. Leading interior design agency, Carter Wells are also partnered with Pangolin London in creating the design concepts for Sculpture in the Home. Carter Wells are industry experts in paring interior designers with specialist projects.