Londoners seeking an outdoor art escape this summer will have an exciting new destination to add to the map. Albion Fields, a sprawling new 50-acre sculpture garden, opened in Oxfordshire this week.
The sculpture park is the creation of art dealer Michael Hue-Williams, who owns the property on which he also runs its art space, Albion Barn.
The dealer came up with the idea for the park during the nationwide lockdown. “Walking through these beautiful grounds during lockdown, I realized I have a unique opportunity to share the experience,” he said. “Having access to this land, combined with my numerous years of experience working with contemporary sculpture, made the decision to open an outdoor sculpture park really compelling.”
In the months since, Hue-Williams has gone full tilt to bring the dream to fruition, partnering with four galleries—Marian Goodman, König Galerie, Lisson Gallery, and Goodman Gallery—to realize the installation. Backers of the garden include Nicholas Serota, Jacob Rothschild, Ed Vaizey, Richard Long, and Anish Kapoor.
James Capper, Treadpad B–Pair 2, Walking Ship 40 Ton Standard displacement 4 Leg. Courtesy of Jonty Wilde and Albion Fields.
This summer, visitors can see 26 works by artists including Alicja Kwade, Ai Weiwei, Rachel Whiteread, Erwin Wurm, and David Adjaye.
Unlike other sculpture parks of this scale, all the works are available for sale through their respective galleries. Installations will change on a roughly six-month rotation (the first installation is on view through September 25, 2021). Entrance to the garden as well as Albion Barn is free of charge, but requires advance registration.
The grounds to Albion Fields, which were long used for agriculture, have also been rewilded. Visitors can walk about pathways through a landscape that shifts from a natural lake, a lush meadow, and wooded areas filled with deer, badgers, woodpeckers, hare, owls, and other indigenous creatures.
See more images of Albion Fields below.
Bernar Venet, Indeterminate Line (2016–2020). Courtesy of Jonty Wilde and Bernar Vernet Studio.
David Adjaye, Horizon Pavilion (2017). Courtesy of Jonty Wilde and Albion Fields.
Ai Wei Wei, Sofa in Black (2011). Courtesy of Jonty Wilde, the artist and Lisson Gallery, London.
Richard Long, Ivory Granite Line (2016). Courtesy of Jonty Wilde, the artist and Lisson Gallery, London.
Jeppe Hein, Twisted Geometric Mirror. Courtesy of Jonty Wilde, the artist, and Konig Galerie.jpg
Ryan Gander, More really shiny things that don’t mean anything (2012). Courtesy of Jonty Wilde, Lisson Gallery, and Albion Fields.