Somerset’s Hestercombe House opens new art gallery

    Work by Tracey Emin

    For the first time in almost 230 years Hestercombe House in Somerset has opened its doors to the public to reveal a remarkable contemporary art gallery with the works of Tracey Emin and Mark Hosking among those on show.

    Hestercombe House
    Hestercombe House

    Work my Mark Hosking
    Work my Mark Hosking

    Hestercombe has always been at the forefront of creativity, with 18th-century owner Copplestone Warre Bampfylde developing the landscape garden and Lord Portman commissioning the now world-famous Edwardian garden created by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and plantswoman Miss Gertrude Jekyll. And it has continued in this tradition with Chief Executive of the Hestercombe Gardens Trust Philip White, inspiring the restoration of these historic gardens and now masterminding the opening of the art gallery.

    Speaking at the launch, Sir Andrew Burns, Chairman of the Hestercombe Gardens Trust said, ‘We have turned this is building from being offices for the last 62 years (once owned and run by Somerset County Council and home to Somerset Firebrigade) to being an art gallery and cultural venue in only 6 months. This is an incredible achievement by the whole Hestercombe team. This new Art Gallery is part of a long-standing Hestercombe commitment to the Arts. We intend it to become a leading attraction for Taunton, Somerset and the South-West. And we are so pleased to have launched this with the support of the Arts Council.’

    The new gallery’s current exhibition is open until 14 September 2014. Normal garden admission applies.

    www.hestercombe.com

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