Channel is Somerset House’s new curated online space for art, ideas and the artistic process.
This October, Somerset House presents a brand-new commission from London-based interdisciplinary artist Amba Sayal-Bennett. For her first public commission in the UK, Sayal-Bennett has created a new series of ten new sculptural reliefs spread across Somerset House, drawing inspiration from 18th-century architectural renderings of the building by its architect, Sir William Chambers.
Exploring how the British colonial imagination and imperialist attitudes of the time were encoded in the designs of Somerset House, Sayal-Bennett incorporates fragments of Chambers drawings - which were influenced by Greek and Roman architecture - to create contemporary geometric reliefs. The pattern-rich designs are rendered in powder coated laser-cut steel, resulting in futuristic sculptures that reflect on the past whilst looking towards the future.
The artworks feature in Great Arch Hall, Seamen’s Hall, Nelson Stairs, Stamp Stairs and New Wing Corridor.
A map of the locations is available on the Somerset House website or can be collected in-person from Seamen’s Hall.
Amba will be giving a free in-person talk about her commission at the Morgan Stanley Late at Somerset House with The Courtauld on 19 October, register for tickets at somersethouse.org.uk. Read more about Geometries of Difference in an interview with Sayal-Bennett on Somerset House’s website.
Sponsored by Morgan Stanley.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Dates & Times: 22 September 2022 – 5 February 2023
ABOUT SOMERSET HOUSE
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As the home of cultural innovators, Somerset House is a site of origination, with a cultural programme offering alternative perspectives on the biggest issues of our time. We are a place of joy and discovery, where everyone is invited to Step Inside and Think Outside.
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ABOUT AMBA SAYAL-BENNETT
Sayal-Bennett's work combines drawing, sculpture, and installation with a research-based interest in the histories of the built environment. Inspired by the visual language of geometry and diagrams, and utilising 3D-modelling and production techniques, she creates colourful works with a contemporary aesthetic.
Completing undergraduate and postgraduate History of Art at The University of Oxford and The Courtauld Insititute, Sayal-Bennett subsequently completed a PhD in Art Practice and Learning from Goldsmiths. She is co-founder of Cypher Billboard, an artist-run program that commissions artworks for billboards in London and is an Associate Lecturer in Visual Culture at UWE Bristol. She lives and works in London.
ABOUT MORGAN STANLEY
Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 41 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com