A new exhibition is set to go on display celebrating emerging North East artists at one of the North East's most eccentric stately homes.
Seaton Delaval Hall in South East Northumberland was home to notorious Georgian pranksters the Delaval family, and a £7m plus restoration saw it reopen in 2022 with an upside-down room and mirrored spheres and cubes alongside its landscaped gardens. Its latest addition is an exhibition of the inaugural North East Emerging Artist Award, which opens on Wednesday.
The award's aim is to showcase site specific contemporary art in a historic context, and also aims to provide opportunities for emerging and early career artists and creatives in or from the North East. For the four artists who are having their work showcased, it has been a long process to get to this point, as applications started in November 2021 and the shortlisting process took place last summer.
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One of the three winning submissions, New Borders by Chantal Herbert and Dami Fawehinmi, will feature in the Stables and aims to amplify the voices of the global majority (people of colour) living in the North East. Their project is a direct response to the 1770 painting 'John Delaval (1756-1775) as a Boy and an Unidentified Attendant,' which depicts a young John Delaval with an unknown Black page boy on display in the West Wing - and aims to reimagine the artwork with a contemporary context by giving the usually unheard voice an identity using photography and audio.
Another winning submission, Vanbrugh Croquet by architect Edmond Salter is an interactive outdoor game which involves hitting wooden balls with a mallet through a series of architectural 'hoops', inspired by Sir John Vanbrugh's Seaton Delaval Hall and architectural models, with visitors able to play in the gardens next to the Central Hall. The final submission is Timekeeping by Northumberland dancer Maria Isidora Vincentelli, which is a contemporary dance piece inspired by numerous stories from the Hall's 300-year history.
Matthew Jarratt, award curator, said: "It’s fantastic to be realising the first year of installations of the award in the hall’s varied spaces. The artists have responded so creatively to this historic site and I really hope that this will inspire other artists in the future as to how they can respond in similar settings."
Throughout its history, Seaton Delaval Hall and its inhabitants have been synonymous with artistic support from commissioning Arthur Pond to produce views of the Hall, the backing of erotic novelist, John Clelland, and the patronage of William Bell who produced family portraits and tutored Rhoda Delaval, through to the 21st Lord Hastings' support of The Royal Ballet.
Emma Thomas, general manager of Seaton Delaval Hall, said: "They are fantastic additions to the offer and we really hope that those people who came and voted for their favourite proposals last year will return to see the final pieces realised at Seaton Delaval Hall. It is great to see the Hall once more supporting the arts and becoming an exciting place to experience new work."
For more information on Seaton Delaval Hall, visit its listing on the National Trust website.
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