Opening reception: ‘Not Vital. SCARCH’

We are pleased to invite you to the opening reception for ‘SCARCH’, a solo exhibition by Not Vital, organised with Olivier Renaud-Clément and Giorgia von Albertini at Hauser & Wirth Somerset. The multidisciplinary exhibition will highlight the Swiss artist’s deep-rooted interest in the relationship between architecture, landscape and human perception. A conflation of the two words sculpture and architecture, ‘SCARCH’ transcends the boundaries of both formal terms, creating immersive, site-specific structures that provide a sense of wonder by means of alternative perspectives. Vital has travelled and exhibited widely since the 1970s, living between the United States, Niger, Italy and China, as well as his native Switzerland. The works on display will span Not Vital’s expansive oeuvre over the past five decades, ranging from early rudimental works from the 1960s, portrait sculptures, mixed-media works on paper and socially-driven installations relating to his global projects. Central to Vital’s practice is an exploration of the spatial and socio-cultural backdrop of his homes and workplaces. He is able to immerse himself in new contexts and cultures with astonishing ease, collaborating with local craftspeople and sourcing regional production in the most remote areas. As visitors enter the Threshing Barn they will encounter ‘House to Watch the Sunset’ (2005), a model from the ongoing international series currently in-situ in Agadez (Niger), Paraná do Mamori (Brazil), and Tarasp (Switzerland). Crucial to these structures are not the comforts of home or the way in which we might live in them, but rather the way in which they enable us to look at the world. The original buildings, over thirteen metres high, have three stories, each unconnected and separately accessed via an outdoor staircase. Shortly after finishing the first structure of its kind in 2005 in Niger, Vital declared that ‘House to Watch the Sunset’ would become a global project: a structure would be built for the sole purpose of contemplating the sunset in every continent. While the materials of the building would always be site-specific, the form and dimensions would be the same at each location. This is a free event, all welcome. No booking necessary. _ We are encouraging visitors and our local residents to be as mindful as possible when travelling to the gallery during the opening receptions,  as we are expecting a lot of visitors and car parking at the gallery is limited. A shuttle bus service will be running from Godminster Cheese car park (BA10 0EH) to the gallery every 5 minutes from 5.45 – 8.15 pm. We also ask that visitors consider car sharing and public transport links to minimise traffic during the evening. Bruton train station is 5 minutes walk away and designated public car parks are at Higher Backway, Station Road and the Jubilee Park playground, with a public footpath running from Bruton through our community allotments. Please be aware that if you do not use the shuttle bus service you may be caught in a queue for some time to enter the gallery site.