And stand a ruin
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amidst ruins New Expressions ‘New Opportunities Award’ by Tristram Aver
Complimentar y Exhibition Guide
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And stand a ruin amidst ruins, an exhibition in the Great Drawing Room by artist Tristram Aver, has been created specially for, and in direct response to, Newstead Abbey and aspects of its collections as part of a new initiative called the ‘New Opportunties Award.’ This booklet has been written by the artist to give some insight into his Newstead research and to give a greater understanding of the paintings on display.
The title ‘And stand a ruin amidst ruins’ refers to an extract of Lord Byron’s poem Childe Harold’s ‘Pilgrimage’. Canto the Fourth (1818).. See page 16.
Introduction Through painting, I create witty, painterly collages that adopt a mixture of found imagery and reinterpreted historic artworks to explore notions of ‘Britishness’. Contemporary and historic images referencing socio-political issues and/or current affairs (such as war and civil unrest) usually sit alongside commercial and decorative iconography to present a portrait of modern urban British living. The topics I explore reflect or are strongly influenced by, the diverse and lavish collections of tapestries, furniture, taxidermy and fine art in stately homes that buildings such as Newstead Abbey now house. Newstead is enriched with a variety of items and artefacts, all sourced from different centuries and continents, reflecting the status, wealth and eccentricities of its former owners, forming the basis for my exploration of Newstead and to create a new body of work exclusively for the building. Using late 18th to early 19th century portraits (animal and human), sporting art and landscapes of pastoral Nottinghamshire and England, alongside the abundance of wallpaper designs as a starting point, I created an altered, condensed view of Newstead’s history, culminating in complex paintings that hint at how the building was used, and how it is used today. Imagery was adapted from many sources within the building, and in the following pages I briefly explain some (although not all) of the ideas and topics behind the creation of these paintings, including the specific collections that have informed the work. Tristram Aver, 2015.
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Neon I often ‘light’ my work with LED neon tubing around the canvas – presenting the work in a glorious and kitsch halo of light. By replacing the traditional gilded frame with a gaudy light source commonly associated with the high-street, I hint at and reference the energy and bustle of the modern metropolis (qualities that do not often cross-over in heritage sites). It also plays on the traditions of the gilt frame, for when freshly applied and presented with a painting, the untarnished gold leaf is quite a visually overbearing material, often so opulent and reflective it detracts from the painting itself. When paintings are conserved or re-gilded in museums and galleries today, the frames are often artificially aged to fit in amongst other paintings that have years worth of wear or dust that has dulled the gilt over time. An example of this practice can be seen with the portrait of the 6th Lord Byron by Thomas Phillips (NA 532) which sits prominently above the fireplace in the Great Drawing Room. It was conserved in the early 1980s with fresh gilt, yet had to be ‘toned down’ in 2008/9 as it reportedly ‘glowed in the dark’. Despite this, the painting remains dominant amongst the larger monarchic and aristocratic portraiture on the same wall. The neon plays on this exuberance, using a commercial material to challenge the conformity and usage of gold leaf (and obviously can also ‘glow’ in the dark too).
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Rutting birds References to domestic (and sometimes global) war, conflict or civil unrest often exist within my work, suggested to me by current affairs or sensationalist media, and although there are subtle references to this within the paintings made for this project, I found it hard to draw comparisons to such iconography within Newstead. Instead, I used the (rutting) Peacock – a prominent symbol associated with Newstead’s past and present - as a subtle metaphor for hostility, Lord Byron’s flamboyant personality and role within Greek Independence in 1823, and sporting activities (pugilism, fencing, etc) that the site has seen witness to. In ancient belief, the Peacock represents immortality and resurrection in both Christianity and Greek Mythology, but also ‘pride’ [personified] as the bird is known for being vain and the proudest of its species (referring to one of the seven Deadly Sins). Male pride, possibly even referencing the exuberance and dandyism of Lord Byron himself, is portrayed by ‘rutting’ Peacocks and Pheasants during mating season, fighting for territorial dominance and sexual attention. Where feather, body and animal collide, the aggressive act metamorphoses the creatures into an obscure, yet beautiful, hybrid of colour and form – something I also achieve where smoke clouds and explosions lose their ‘real-world’ references and blend into pattern and texture.
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Flowers and Gardens When the 6th Lord Byron inherited the estate the gardens were “choked with weeds” and in a semi-ruinous state. The deer that once roamed the grounds had been sold off by the previous Lord Byron, the building was showing signs of neglect and foliage was vastly overgrown – this became an apt symbol for Byron himself as he often compared himself to a ‘ruin’, or explored the personification and imagery of the ruin, within his own poetry. Today, the revitalized and much tended-to formal gardens now showcase a wonderful collection of floral splendor with plants such as the Charles de Mills and Gertrude Jekyll Rose, Echinop thistles, Crocosmia ‘Lucficier’, Japanese Anemones, Heleniums, Buddleia Davidii and Wisteria are being just some of those that provide the most eye catching summer colour and scent. Rhododendrons and Azaleas – a popular addition by Victorian gardeners - line the drive from the main entrance, flowering en masse, and rather breathtakingly, each May. Their blooms adorn the wallpapers and much of décor within the main building, and so, alongside the other species that reside here, feature within these new paintings in some way.
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Boxing & The Great Drawing Room The Great Drawing Room – a barren, empty room devoid of such luxuries that occupy it today – was used as a gymnasium during Lord Byron’s time here. As illustrated on the screen in Byron’s Study, and the many objects from fencing swords, boxing gloves, pistols and illustrations of people such as “Gentleman” John Jackson (Champion of England in 1795) on display in the Library, it is clear that Byron the poet had a passion and enjoyment for pugilism and dueling as sport.
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Peafowl & Golden Pheasants Keeping rare birds was a very fashionable pursuit within aristocratic society, and the presence nowadays of a bird such as the Peacock within the grounds of a stately home today serve as a reminder of the status of its former residents*. Although the 6th Lord Byron had Peafowl roaming his Venetian palazzo, he is not known to have kept them at Newstead. However, it is clear that the Wildmans introduced the bird to the estate and built aviaries in which to house them. The celebration and exoticism of such birds is also found throughout the décor of the building, not just within the grounds. Java Peafowl – a very rare breed found in the Indonesian Jungles – are seen adorning the walls of Henry the Seventh’s Lodgings, also known as the “Japanese Room” (created by the Webb sisters in the 1890s). Indian Blue Peafowl and Guinea Fowl are seen within some wallpapers, and Perching Golden Pheasants – with a strikingly coloured attire to rival the most vivid of parrots - are seen within the faded wall coverings of the Duke of Sussex Room.
*see page 17
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The birds still have a role to play at Newstead, and many have been slowly reintroduced to the site in recent years, as Arthur Parkinson, Newstead Aviculturist and Gardener, explains:
“The Pheasants are still here – a young male Golden Pheasant soon to mature into his adult dress and a more modest female consort in mottled brown were added to the central Cloister garden last year. Here they reside with two white- plumed Indian Blue Peafowl (the white feathers being the result of a natural genetic mutation. The Peahen, named ‘Tracy’ after a fellow colleague at the Abbey, caused a sensation upon her arrival as she was hatched from an egg purchased from eBay! Her mate, a white peacock called ‘Spencer’, is of American heritage.
In the open gardens a normal coloured (but nonetheless beautiful) pair of peafowl strut at their leisure. The male peacock featuring every shade of blue the human eye can behold has the title of ‘Arthur’ and the peahen is aptly named ‘Abbie’ [as in Abbey] with a modest be-jeweled neck of emerald green. Both normally roost in the sheltering canopy of the great cedar tree.
Portly and cackling Guinea Fowl, once used as spotty red wattled ‘alarm systems’ by the Victorians, are hoping to be reintroduced soon.”
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Dogs The representation of the canine throughout art and social history interests me and is a recurring theme within my work. Although historically the dog is not perceived favorably in Christian scripture (even in Greek mythology it is associated with the underworld), within portraiture, certainly within the past 200 years, dogs are used to reflect status, money and social standing. Pure or rare imported breeds show class divisions, with ‘mongrel’ breeds being kept only by the working classes. Setters, Retrievers, Greyhounds or Foxhounds may have been found on noble estates but were only used for hunting or sport, whereas breeds such as the Dachund, Welsh Corgy, Pug or Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were certainly reserved for the pleasure of the aristocracy. The Newfoundland, indigenous to Canada and known for being strong swimmers, was a very fashionable breed in the early 19th century, and Boatswain, a most notorious Newfoundland and personal favourite of the poet Lord Byron, was a much loved addition to Newstead and known to enjoy the waters and lakes with his owner (often in competition). Byron commissioned Clifton Tomson (1755-1828), a celebrated animal and sporting artist, to paint Boatswain in 1808, along with another favoured – but more vicious and untamed – ‘Wolf Dog’ he is said to have inherited from his great-uncle along with the estate. Both these large and domineering paintings currently hang in the East Gallery (leading to the SouthGallery). Boatswain, a keen ‘canine pugilist’, died of rabies in the year that this painting was completed, reportedly bitten by a rabid dog he had unwisely engaged in a fight in Mansfield. Partially referring to the ferocity of this incident, the nature of the ‘wolf dog’, and the vicious and illegal activities of dog-fighting (to which Byron objected), I have included a chimeric double-headed image of Byron’s dogs, snarling and with fangs on show but trapped behind a decorative ‘cage’, where they are either fighting to escape from the painting or used to evoke a residual memory of the building.
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Boxing Day Hunt/Huntsmen Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox (traditionally a red fox) by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of unarmed followers led by a Master of Foxhounds who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback. Even today, although made illegal in 2004, it is a controversial activity associated with those who often ignore or bend the restrictions so they can continue to hunt. Each year we see images in the media of the traditional Boxing Day Hunt that is still practiced amongst many British countryside communities, clashing with protestors, supporters, police and animal rights activists fueling the ongoing political debate. Fox hunting is seen in many incarnations throughout Newstead, possibly because of the Webb family’s enjoyment of the Safari and ‘blood’ sports; the Great Hall has an impressive collection of ‘big game’ animals (both of domestic and foreign origin). Hunting scenes are depicted in such objects as a marquetry writing cabinet in the West Gallery, a 1726 painting of the East View of Newstead Abbey by Peter Tillemans, and a painted 4-panel Victorian screen. Byron adored animals, and never engaged with hunting activities himself preferring more competitive sports such as pugilism and fencing. The role of fox hunting with the Countryside, to Newstead, the wealthy and the clash of opinion over it and its associated imagery, are themes I have explored for some years, and there are subtle acknowledgements of this within these paintings, such as the recognisable hound and ‘red coats’ of the huntsman interspersed within the compositions.
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Explosions/Trees Tempestuous cloud formations, akin to that of billowing smoke from fire or explosion often seen in areas experiencing war and conflict, can be found in the backgrounds of many paintings at Newstead. I have ‘sampled’ such formations from the portrait of Colonel Gerald Littlehales Goodlake (c.1857) by James Edgell Collins in the North Stairwell, and from the paintings of Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex and Thomas Wildman by James Lonsdale. In addition, East View of Newstead Abbey (1758) by Richard Byron, The River Trent at Wilford by Henry Dawson, and The Edge of a Forest, Storm Coming On (1826) by James Arthur O’Connor, all portray a (false) tranquil pastoral scene where folk stroll joyfully along calm country paths, but the horizon – the outline of the mature Oak trees and woodland landscape – has a similar shape and prominence to that of mushroomcloud explosions, albeit at a distance or with a tertiary glance. I replicate these trees ‘formations’, as well as plumes of smoke and explosions featured in the Media, bringing together such incongruous elements upon the canvases, creating a peculiar view of the world distorted through time as it combines contemporary and historic references.
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Wallpapers I often use ‘flock’ wallpaper designs as backdrops to my work, of the kind found on the high street and in historic houses, referencing how our contemporary tastes are often influenced by our heritage, so Newstead proved to be a Pandora’s Box of influences. There is an extensive and diverse range of printed, in some cases hand-painted trompe l’oeil effect, wall coverings and papers throughout the Abbey, some faded through time, others interrupted, some even peeking through gaps having been covered over during changes in ownership and decoration. They mostly date from the 19th and 20th Centuries, either originals from those periods or recent reproductions based on designs that can be traced back to 1714. I selected many designs from throughout the building, making exact, computer-drawn copies of them (as in the case of Byron’s bedroom and the Great Drawing Room) or simplified more complex designs, that were then translated to laser-cut stencils and spray-painted to form the base layers of the paintings. These designs are repeatedly applied and interwoven with the various imagery painted on the canvas, the background toying with the foreground, pushing the images back into the picture. Pastel shades and multiple patterns are used in layers to create chaos and give depth to the canvases, generating an indistinguishable history and confusion as the references I make fade into a ‘ruined’ state, becoming something new.
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‘And stand a ruin admist ruins’ The ruins of the former Abbey; the ruinous state in which Lord Byron inherited the estate; the ‘ruin’ of the building when exchanged from owner to owner; the demise of the Byron’s fortune and the sale of many of his personal and family possessions; the slow and natural deterioration of the building over time, are all key themes within the paintings, and they stand ‘proud’ in the room, a possible sign of decay and ruin themselves.
The title of the exhibition comes from an extract of Lord Byron’s poem entitled Childe Harold’s ‘Pilgrimage’. Canto the Fourth’ (1818): But my Soul wanders; I demand it back To meditate amongst decay, and stand A ruin amidst ruins; there to track Fall’n states and buried greatness, o’er a land Which was the mightiest in its old command, And is the loveliest, and must ever be The master-mould of Nature’s heavenly hand; Wherein were cast the heroic and the free,— The beautiful — the brave — the Lords of earth and sea,
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Former owners of the Abbey Newstead Abbey is best known as the ancestral home of the British Romantic poet George Gordon, 6th Lord Byron (1788-1824), who lived here from 1808 until 1814. Originally Newstead was a monastic house founded by Henry II in c.1163, and remained as an Augustine priory until it was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539. Newstead was then granted to Sir John Byron of Colwick (1487-1567) and he converted the priory into a house where it remained for nearly 300 years within the Byron family. William, 5th Lord Byron, came into financial problems and the estate began to decline and the contents of the house were sold. The poet Lord Byron inherited a virtually empty and ruinous house in 1798, and in 1818 it was sold to Byron’s friend Thomas Wildman (1787-1859) . Between 1818 and 1850 Wildman invested a significant amount on restoration and repair of the Abbey, chosing to preserve its medieval character (as the Byron’s did before him). After Wildman died, Newstead was purchased in 1861 by William Frederick Webb (1829-1899), a wealthy landowner. Upon his death, the estate passed to Webb’s surviving four children, and then, in 1925, to his grandson Charles Ian Fraser (1903-1963). Fraser sold Newstead to the philanthropist Sir Julien Cahn, who gave it the Nottingham Corporation (now Nottingham City Council) in 1931 who remain the current owners.
Text extracted and adapted from Newstead Abbey: Historic House & Gardens. A Tour of the House booklet, p1, Chapter 1 “Brief History of the House”.
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About the Award The New Opportunities Award is a completely new award developed in 2014 by New Expressions and Contemporary Visual Arts Network, working in partnership with Visual Arts South West. The New Opportunities Award (NOA) aims to create innovative partnerships for organisations in the heritage sector as well as new ways of working for artists. Six regional museums based in the South West, North and Midlands have been selected through open competition to receive a special award that will enable them to collaborate with and commission small scale, experimental or innovative, artist-led museum interventions. This exhibition has been funded by New Expressions.
Unlocking the creative potential of museums www.newexpressions.org
Artist Biography Tristram Aver is an artist and curator who graduated with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Birmingham School of Art in 2002, and is currently based at 3rd Space Studios, Sherwood, Nottingham. Recent exhibitions include There is a pleasure in the pathless woods (solo - 2015), Djanogly Art Gallery, Lakeside Arts Centre, University of Nottingham; (detail), curated by Andrew Bracey, H-Project Space, Bangkok, Transition Gallery, London, and The Usher Gallery, Lincoln (2014 touring show); FOUR, Cornerhouse, Manchester (2013); YOU CAN TELL ME!, Factory-Art Gallery, Berlin (2012); Mind The Gap, IDM Gallery, Busan, Korea (2012), &, Lotte Gallery Jamsil, Seoul, Korea (2012); Nature or Nurture - Tristram Aver and Michael O’Reilly, GX Gallery, London; WW Solo Award, WW Gallery, London; Culture Cloud, New Art Exchange, Nottingham. His work is held in private collections including the Bayswater Media Group, London, and The Stremmel Gallery Collection, Reno, Nevada., USA. In 2003, Aver was commissioned by RCA/BMG Records to produce artwork for the top 10 breakthrough album Kick Up the Fire, and Let the Flames Break Loose for indie-rock band The Cooper Temple Clause.
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Acknowledgements Text by Tristram Aver. Edited by Elizabeth Hawley. A special thanks to the staff and dedicated team of volunteers of Newstead Abbey who have given the project such enthusiasm and assistance throughout the research and staging of this exhibition, including: Haidee Jackson, Collections Access Officer Arthur Parkinson, Aviculturist and Gardener Tracey Baily, Retail Buyer Jo Hunt, Retail Manager Steven Ingman, Artist/Technician John Hartley, Photographer Debs Storey, Videographer Elizabeth Hawley, Project mentor and EMVAN Co-Ordinator Deborah Dean, Visual Arts & Exhibitions Manager, Nottingham City Museums & Galleries Grace Davies, Regional Development Director, Visual Arts South West Judith Robertson, Partnerships Officer (Creative & Cultural Programmes), Plymouth City Council and the New Expressions Team and ‘Family’.
The title ‘And stand a ruin amidst ruins’ refers to an extract of Lord Byron’s poem Childe Harold’s ‘Pilgrimage’. Canto the Fourth (1818). See page 16.
“And stand a ruin amidst ruins” New Expressions ‘New Opportunities Award’ by Tristram Aver 7 March to 5 July 2015 Newstead Abbey
www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/newsteadabbey www.newexpressions.org