Farming and rural arts combine on Grizedale's manor

Jul 1 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

These projects have connected distinct yet comparable villages in Cumbria, China and Japan.

Several Grizedale artists have been commissioned to produce works to celebrate the opening of the new building, including Adam Chodzko, Ryan Gander, Guestroom, Jeremy Deller and Alan Kane, Olaf Breuning and Pablo Bronstein.

Beyond the hosting of artists the farm is also designed to work with local groups, with more than 10 acres of gardens, plus farmland and woodland.

The building design is derived from the old idea of the manorial farm as a shared public space and the scheme includes a community kitchen and library.

The new centre will house the Lawson Park collection of furniture and decorative arts that tells the story of British design and its relationship with local styles from 1820 to the present day.

Deputy director Alistair Hudson said: “This is a very significant new development, not just for the Lake District but also for the UK art scene at a time when the rural situation is starting to take centre stage in world culture.

“Lawson Park is often seen as a remote and picturesque hill farm, but this marks a new chapter in its life as a working building that combines rural issues with the latest in international contemporary art.

“Lawson Park is not a visitor attraction but a place to work, not just for artists but for people who want to get involved in changing culture and the environment.”