Belsay Hall - Contemporary Arts Exhibitions

2007 & 2010

For nearly 15 years Belsay has inspired some of the country’s finest and most prestigious contemporary artists, architects, designers and performers.The appeal of Belsay in artistic terms, lies in its stark grandeur and an almost brooding sense of a dormant past, simply waiting to be revived. Uniquely among historic houses of this era, Belsay is presented completely devoid of any furniture or collection. It is this complete emptiness that prompts the most imaginative artistic responses.

English Heritage now has a considerable track record for its major commissioning programme at Belsay. The sheer range and diversity of the artistic response was evident in the new works created by such luminaries as Stella McCartney,Alexander McQueen, Lord Foster, Julian Opie and Sandy Powell, amongst others.

Picture House - 2007

15 artists across both floors of the hall, the gardens and castle

More power required than the hall had, technology driven exhibition in the dustiest place in the world and computers that would not do as they were told! - lasting memories of Picture House

Installation of 3 full size trees in a bedroom, alongside over 1000 teacups

Extraordinary Measures - 2010

The theme of Extraordinary Measures is scale, a direct reference to the slight sense of dislocation the visitor feels at Belsay - at one moment tiny walking along the paths of the quarry gardens with its enormous leaves and towering walls, only to be rendered a giant when pausing among the tiny niches and in the romantic, sheltered Grotto. It is this atmosphere of displacement that has prompted the curatorial concept for the exhibition: scale and our perception of it.

Artists for 2010 include Ron Mueck, Matt Collishaw, Mariele Neudecker, Ciaran Treanor, Freddie Robins, Tessa Farmer, Slinkachu & MGA

Picture House artists - projected list for the launch 2007

Tessa Farmer

Mariele Neudecker

Ron Mueck