Objects of Contemplation

Daniel Freyne, 'Anchor 1,' 2022Abigail Booth, 'For Now We See Clearly,' 2022-2023Romilly Saumarez Smith, 'Land Sea and Night Sky,' 2023

Make Hauser & Wirth Somerset
​16 March – 12 May 2024
​Opening Reception: Saturday 16 March 2024, 10 am – 4 pm

Featuring Max Bainbridge, Abigail Booth, Anthony Bryant, Adam Buick, Helen Carnac, Samuel Chatto, Samuel Collins, Alexander deVol, Daniel Freyne, David Gates, Akiko Hirai, Harry Morgan, Annemarie O’Sullivan, Mark Reddy, Romilly Saumarez Smith, Maria Sigma, Katie Spragg, Olivia Walker, Alice Walton

‘Objects of Contemplation’ celebrates over five years of collaborative exhibitions with artist-makers from across the UK and Europe, spanning disciplines from wood to ceramic, textile, metal, stone and mixed materials. Launching in Somerset this March, the exhibition will travel to London in May, demonstrating Make Hauser & Wirth’s long-term commitment to contemporary craft and, above all, to the exceptional individuals who have been at the core of the program since its inception. Curated in dialogue with each other, the 19 featured artist- makers present singular works that exemplify their current practice. Characterized by the unique relationship between material and maker, broader conceptual and aesthetic concerns are brought to the fore through formal research, the complex layering of narratives and contextual enquiry.

Anchored by process and the language of form, the works on view include Harry Morgan’s geometric explorations in concrete and glass and Daniel Freyne’s works in iron which, together, redefine material perceptions. David Gates’s collecting cabinets, referencing the vernacular of agricultural buildings, respond directly to a sense of place similarly reflected in the metal vessels of Helen Carnac, with both artists drawn to human interventions in the landscape. Abigail Booth delves further into our understanding of place and identity working across a material language of textiles, print and natural color. Adam Buick’s interpretations of the traditional moon jar draw on his native geology, whilst Akiko Hirai’s investigations of the form evoke the visceral power of clay, simultaneously exploring the vagaries of the human condition. Romilly Saumarez Smith’s enigmatic objects of curiosity are created from rescued treasures, their silent memory retraced, reimagined and transformed. This telling of stories and our connectedness to the past and land recurs as Mark Reddy looks to nature for the roots of our co-evolution, sourcing found and foraged wood to rework and coax into new abstract forms.

The collection of works communicates at a haptic level through an active engagement with the handmade, whilst expanding our understanding and appreciation of material-led practice. As the gallery looks to the future, we will continue to encourage and articulate the limitless potential of contemporary craft, both in the UK and overseas, underlining its reach and significance through a program of learning initiatives and equally supporting our artist-makers across the breadth of our platform and residency opportunities.

Mark Reddy, Collection of Three Standing Spoons, 2023Adam Buick, Large Jar, 2021Harry Morgan, Untitled, 2022

About Make Hauser & Wirth
​Make Hauser & Wirth is a dedicated space for contemporary making and the crafted object, committed to showcasing some of the world’s best emerging and established artist-makers. Make is a natural extension of the wider Hauser & Wirth gallery ethos, embracing art, craft, gardens, food and architecture. Since launching in 2018 in Somerset, UK, Make has presented work by over 80 artist-makers and provided valuable insights into material-led processes and the rich narratives of their practices. In addition to presentations in London and Zurich, Make continues its international program in Los Angeles.

Works exhibited by Make embrace material truth, provenance, sustainability and the value of emotional engagement with the handmade. In addition to a varied exhibition program, Make has hosted practical workshops, discussions and studio visits to expand learning and engagement with makers and global craft organizations.

Press Contacts:
​Manisha Bhogal, manishabhogal@hauserwirth.com, +44 7917 075313
​Laura Cook, lauracook@hauserwirth.com, +44 (0)7920 414 876

Make Hauser & Wirth Somerset
​Stockwell House, 13 High Street
​Bruton, Somerset BA10 0AB

Make opening hours
​Wednesday – Sunday
​10 am – 4 pm

^{Copyright and Courtesy Credits:
​All images courtesy the makers and Hauser & Wirth.}

^{Daniel Freyne, Anchor 1, 2022. Photo: Dave Watts}

^{Abigail Booth, For Now We See Clearly, 2022-2023. Photo: Forest + Found}

^{Romilly Saumarez Smith, Land Sea and Night Sky, 2023. Photo: Lucinda Douglas Menzies}

^{Mark Reddy, Collection of Three Standing Spoons, 2023. Photo: Dave Watts}

^{Adam Buick, Large Jar, 2021. Photo: Dave Watts}

^{Harry Morgan, Untitled, 2022. Photo: Gian Paul Lozza}