A meeting of opposites - the grandeur and refinement of Wolterton Hall are set against Phyllida Barlow’s raw, humble materials, creating a wonderfully unexpected dialogue between the historic interiors and her sculptures.
Across the rooms, Barlow’s work introduces a sense of tension and playfulness — fragile yet monumental, rough yet refined, temporary yet enduring. Cardboard, fabric, plaster and paint take on an entirely new presence within the ornate architecture, disrupting our expectations of what belongs in such a setting.
There is something wonderfully irreverent about seeing these seemingly modest materials hold their own against the splendour of the Hall. Rather than competing with the architecture, Barlow’s work unsettles and enlivens it, encouraging us to look again at both the sculptures and their surroundings.
A delicious collision of old and new, elegance and rawness, restraint and exuberance — and a joy to experience.
Tickets are free for the exhibition and entrance to Wolterton but must be booked in advanced via the Hall’s website here.
The exhibition, which runs until 13 September 2026, is open 11am to 4pm Wednesday to Sunday.