Installation view of Joris Laarman Maker (Hexagon) benches in the Painted Hall at Chatsworth House.
Photo: India Hobson; Courtesy of Friedman Benda and Chatsworth
England’s Chatsworth House Opens a Dynamic Exhibition with Friedman Benda
The installation juxtaposes works by Wendell Castle, Fernando Laposse, and Joris Laarman with the stately manor’s period details
A Joris Laarman Maker (Hexagon) bench in the Painted Hall at Chatsworth House. Photo: Chatsworth House Trust
Although Chatsworth House has stayed in the same family for 16 generations and dates to 1552, the estate doesn’t remain fixed in the past. In a collaboration with Friedman Benda, the stately British home will mount the exhibition “Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design at Chatsworth,” featuring works by 16 artists and designers, including Joris Laarman, Wendell Castle, and Najla El Zein.
Juxtapositions in materials and dialogues between artworks old and new abound, such as with 2021 Creative Mind Fernando Laposse’s agave and sisal cabinet and armchair in the opulent State Bedchamber. “Adding in new works means that your eye is drawn to the historic pieces, and you can’t help but make comparisons between them,” says Alex Hodby, a senior curator at Chatsworth. The show runs from March 18 through October 1.
See more exhibition photos below.
Installation view of Najla El Zein's work as a part of "Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design at Chatsworth." Photo: India Hobson; Courtesy of Friedman Benda and Chatsworth
Installation view of Fernando Laposse’s agave and sisal cabinet in the State Bedchamber as a part of "Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design at Chatsworth." Photo: India Hobson; Courtesy of Friedman Benda and Chatsworth
Installation view of Wendell Castle's artwork as a part of "Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design at Chatsworth." Photo: India Hobson; Courtesy of Friedman Benda and Chatsworth
Installation view of Ini Archibong's work as a part of "Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design at Chatsworth." Photo: India Hobson; Courtesy of Friedman Benda and Chatsworth
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2023 Spring Issue under the headline “History in the Making.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: Installation view of Joris Laarman Maker (Hexagon) benches in the Painted Hall at Chatsworth House.
Photo: India Hobson; Courtesy of Friedman Benda and Chatsworth
