My husband suggested a trip away from bustling Bath, yesterday, and out into the beautiful and autumnal Wiltshire countryside.
We were heading for Messums West – an art centre and gallery based at Place Farm in Tilsbury near Salisbury.
The Messums Organisation – it also has centres in London and Lowestoft – was started by Johnny Messum in the farm’s 13th-century barn back in 2016.
The business has established venues and arts communities here in the West and East of England. See messsums.org
On the way we just had to stop off beside the Fonthill Estate Lake to take in the autumn colour and watch the swans glide over the still waters. Good to bring our friend Lisa along to enjoy the ride and the views.
Fonthill House Gardens are open to the public next year on Sunday, March 23rd; Sunday, April 27th and Sunday, June 8th. See https://fonthill.co.uk/gardens/ for more information.
Messums West is based in the Tithe Barn – a recently restored 13th century monastic barn which is reckoned to be the largest – though not the longest – barn of its type in England.
It has a floor space of over one third of an acre which is currently hosting an installation by Tess Campbell Fraser entitled Whales – A Deeper Dialogue.
She has been concerned with the effects of climate change on both humans and animals and this exhibition explores the fragile balance between humanity and nature.
The sleeping sperm whales are suspended from the barn’s exposed beams. The following formation is taken from the museum’s own notes on the exhibition.
“Campbell Fraser’s use of sustainable and repurposed materials – ghost netting, recycled paper, hemp and silk chiffon – is integral to her artistic practice.
The choice of these materials and how she manipulates them, reflect the delicate, fluid nature of the natural world and the artist’s belief in the potential for humans to learn from and protect the environment, rather than continue to exploit it.
Campbell Fraser’s research into whales took her to Dominica, where she swam with these mysterious giants and experienced for herself their distinctive sonar communications.
For this exhibition, Campbell Fraser has reimagined the Victorian Eidophone, to help visualize sound vibrations. By using the whales’ distinctive ‘coda click’ communications as a form of ‘brush’, she translates these sound waves into visual paintings and vast silk banners.
While scientists are even now using Al to analyse and decode ‘whale speak’, the artist offers a poetic interpretation of the deep, elusive conversations between whales, inviting viewers to experience a form of inter-species communication.”
The experience of walking into and amongst this work is both humbling and mind blowing.
Elsewhere on the site is an exhibition – in the gallery space – given over to Horse Show!
The space was originally a stable and now, once again, it plays host to a a herd of horses of all varieties and forms with a collection of rare and significant artworks from around the world and throughout history.
Horse Show! runs through to January 6th next year, while Whales – A Deeper Dialogue goes through to January 13th, 2025.
Cannot recommend this trip enough – through amazing countryside to what is an exciting art centre in such a beautiful location.
