Art at Beningbrough

Explore In the moment: the art of wellbeing in the Great Hall and Saloon Galleries as they become home to 14 engaging artworks, in this exclusively curated exhibition with the Arts Council Collection. 

Experience how art can impact you through the ‘five ways to wellbeing’ – to connect, be active, give, keep learning and take notice. 

Connect

Explore the importance of good relationships, with yourself, those people around you and to the wider world. This series of artworks by some of the 20th and 21st century’s best-known artists, such as Marc Chagall, Henry Moore and Tracey Emin, highlight the role in which our connections with others present themselves in various forms. 

Great Hall

Start your journey with the striking Doryphoros sculpture standing at over two metres high. The figure is a copy of a popular 5th century Greek sculpture depicting a warrior, the piece was recreated by the artist Matthew Darbyshire who purchased a 3D scan of the object online, before painstakingly building his figure from layer upon layer of hand-cut, hand-painted polycarbonate.

Saloon

See how colour holds an important role in reflecting and improving our mental wellbeing. Discover how the impact of colour can affect mood through the use of large abstract works which create swaths of colour to lose yourself in and focus your mind and vision on. Take a seat and absorb the artworks by Peter Joseph, Basil Beattie and Bridget Riley, whose distinctive, vibrant styles and use of pattern create appealing artworks. 

Be active

In the North Gallery listen to and watch Dance (All Night, London) by Melanie Manchot on the three screens. The 30 minute film is a collective dance performance by 10 dance schools across East London, where the audience was invited to join in and take part in the final show.

Take notice

Stop, slow down and take in the finer, subtle details of the artworks on display in the North East Gallery. The works by Jacques Nimki and Damien Hirst encourage you to study features often missed and unnoticed, discovering the intricate beauty on show. Experience one of the less well-known paintings by L.S. Lowry, Seascape. 

Discover more from the Arts Council Collection including their latest acquisitions​ and other exhibitions around the country. 

 

Give

Committing an act of kindness once a week has been shown to increase happiness and wellbeing. The National Trust is supported by over 65,000 volunteers, who each year give almost five million hours of their time. Just think how many acts of kindness that amounts to each day.

Much of the work at Beningbrough is only possible thanks to the volunteers you will see during your visit. This year the volunteers got involved and worked in partnership with the National Poetry Library exploring the theme of wellbeing in poetry. 

Good to know

As it's been a year of change, the exhibition is now extended until 31 October 2021. The Saloon Galleries are on the first floor and the exhibition maximises the expanse of the Great Hall. The rest of the hall remains closed due to ongoing conservation work.