A new exhibition of work from British contemporary artists Idris Khan and Annie Morris has opened at Ealing’s Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery.
The couple, who have been together for more than a decade, will be exhibiting until 7 January 2024 with a theme that explores emotion, time and memory.
More than 30 pieces of their work are being shown from Khan’s 65,000 photographs and Morris’ stack sculptures and show how they both influence each other.
Other pieces of work on display include embroidery and painting.
In announcing the exhibition, Pitzhanger describes it as “Both Khan and Morris grapple with their own understanding of memory, love and loss, emotions that echo those of architect John Soane whose painful familial estrangement played out at Pitzhanger.
“Morris draws inspiration from life experiences, expressed dramatically in her trademark Stack sculptures. The sculptures, which began in 2014 following the artist’s grief after the loss of a baby, comprise of precarious irregular spheres balanced into columns. These Stacks echo the swell of pregnancy and act as a replica of Morris’ loss. Playful yet poignantly contemplative, each sphere with its vivid hue – ranging from ultramarine, viridian to ochre – suggests a persistence to find joy amid adversity.
“Khan’s work responds to a plethora of cultural sources, including paintings based on layers of scripts from the Qur’an and musical scores that create layered, abstract images of experience. One of Khan’s most personal works is My Mother (2015), a sculpture composed of every printed photograph from his late mother’s lifetime.”
The exhibition is curated by Maya Binkin and the exhibition explores and interacts with Soane’s domestic spaces with two armchairs and a set of bedsheets by Morris inhabiting the upper drawing room and the bedroom, while a vinyl by Khan is overlayed on the windows of the Manor’s conservatory.
Clare Gough, director of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery said: “We are thrilled to welcome the art of Annie Morris and Idris Khan to Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery. Their combined work resonates so beautifully together and intriguingly with Sir John Soane’s unique story, adding a vibrant dialogue between the contemporary and the neo-classical. This exhibition, spanning our Gallery and historic Manor, aligns with Pitzhanger’s ethos established by Soane of blending modern creativity with our rich heritage. This exhibition will intrigue our audience and enrich their understanding of art’s timeless connection.”
Idris Khan & Annie Morris said: “Annie and I are so proud to be bringing our work to Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery. As a joint exhibition, it shows how our work can’t help but collide in beautiful ways.”
Pitzhsanger Manor & Gallery is located at: Ealing Green, London, W5 5EQ
To visit the exhibition and book a ticket, click here.
Opening days:
Wednesday: 10:00 – 17:00
Thursday: 10:00 – 20:00
Friday – Sunday: 10:00 – 17:00
Monday – Tuesday: Closed (Except bank holidays)
Bank Holidays: 10:00 – 17:00
