Lives, Loves and Loss

I exhibited two drawings in the exhibition Live, Loves and Loss. This was an exhibition curated by Traces London at Fenton House, National Trust.

In December 2016 theatrical performance company Traces London presented Lives, Loves and Loss, an immersive experience at Fenton House, Hampstead. Throughout the month of December, the National Trust property was transformed by over 80 invited artists, as guests were invited to wander through the abandoned rooms and unpick the secrets of the Gee family. Before possessions were made ubiquitous by mass production all goods were made by hand, as individual as their makers. Even the most everyday items expressed a relationship to their owners.

Contemporary silks, scarves and handkerchiefs displayed in Joshua Gee’s study remind us of the basis of his wealth. In his day silks were bought on trips his son made to Aleppo, then one of the great trading cities of the Silk Road in a shrinking world dominated by trade.

This installation brings into focus a moment in the life of one family of Fenton House, expressed through personal and household items, and in doing so gives a nod to the lineage of makers from then to now. These new collections, curated into a temporary relationship for this event, also echo the many different occupants and objects the house has sheltered over time. These include the specific collections of paintings and musical instruments usually on display in its role as a National Trust property.

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