Historic houses are enjoying quite a renaissance these days. While their revival has roots in the V&A’s groundbreaking 1975 exhibition, Destruction of the Country House, followed by decades of preservation and tourism, many argue the arrival of Downton Abbey along with the “Bridgerton-effect” helped set off this latest wave. With The Grand Finale hitting theatres 12 September, interest is ramping up once again. And if you follow Julie Montagu’s social channels, you’ll know that the Countess has been filming a new docu-series at Mapperton, which is set to be televised next year, while simultaneously working on a coffee table book. But in the immediate future, look out for two lavish new tomes hitting shelves this month: Burghley House with photography by Ashley Hicks, and Castle Howard, with photography by Mattia Aquilla and Nicholas Howard. Both feature stunning interiors (the latter was recently renovated by designer Remy Renzullo) and hallways flooded with artwork.
Manor houses have long been intertwined with the arts of course — their stewards serving as patrons for nearly as long as the houses have stood. This summer saw historic properties around the UK hosting arts programmes — cue the monolithic stone sculptures by Stephen Cox punctuating the grounds of Houghton Hall and the floral-inspired group exhibition permeating Chatsworth. Behind the scenes though, the owners of three historic houses — Kelvedon Hall, Elveden Hall and Belvoir Castle — are taking it a step further, hosting artist residencies as part of a new collaboration with The Dot Project and HeritageXplore (founders, left).
As the nomadic gallery’s name would suggest, The Dot Project was inspired by the idea of connection, “with each ‘dot’ representing a point in a larger constellation of ideas, people, and places,” says founder India Montgomery, adding that “a single dot may feel minimal, but it holds the potential to grow into something expansive when linked with others.” In this case, that link is a connection between the artist and the house they've been invited to stay in, while creating work inspired by its storied surroundings.
It’s a mission she brought to fruition with Violet Garnock (née Manners), Viscountess and founder of HeritageXplore. The online booking platform boasts 50 privately owned historic homes in its network (and counting) and began as a passion project of Garnock’s to make heritage “more accessible, more relevant and more exciting for new audiences” she says. You can book a day out, a weekend of hosted experiences, and so much more. Each of the following artist’s residencies will culminate in site-specific exhibitions, with tours bookable here:
First up, Kelvedon Hall, a Grade I listed estate in Essex, hosted painter Heath Wae and textile artist Tais Rose Wae (right) last month. An exhibition of the couple’s work will be displayed from 22 September - 8 October with tours available over three days at the turn of the month. Check out this World of Interiors feature for a sense of how they live with their art at home in Australia. Designer Sophie Ashby is also a fan — she hung a pair of Wae’s paintings, which are made with his own hand-ground pigments, in her London sitting room.
Elveden Hall, a Grade II* listed estate in Suffolk, is currently hosting artist Jack Penny, who is known for his humorous, often mischievous compositions (centre). His paintings will be exhibited throughout October with tours bookable 8-11 October. Fun fact: you may recognize Elveden’s Mughal Palace-style interior from countless films, including the ceremony scene in Eyes Wide Shut.
Lastly, the sprawling Grade I listed Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire will host artist Nick Jensen next month, whose paintings are set to both “echo and interrupt” the estate’s rich interiors. Known for conveying fleeting moments in time, his new body of work will be on display in early November with tours available on 5 November (more dates to come).
Photos courtesy of The Dot Project