The National Trust’s Fenton House in Hampstead will reopen in December with the help of art collective Traces, who transform the house into an immersive experience that delves into the intriguing world of its eighteenth-century residents.
Since the National Trust opened the house to the public in 1953, Fenton House has remained largely unchanged. Now visitors are invited to step back into the year 1730, as they explore the stories of the Gee family, prominent silk and linen merchants who lived at Fenton House in the period.
Wandering through the rooms, visitors will discover the lives, loves and losses of these former inhabitants and their relationships to each other, Georgian London, and the ‘New World’, being brought to life in front of their very eyes.
Donna Walker, Creative Director of Traces said: “This art installation brings together months of archival and historical research with the collective creative imagination of the Traces team. We have curated the work of over 60 artists and designers and commissioned 14 new works to reimagine the objects, stories and people here in the 1730s. The result is a multi-sensory experience that traces the building’s history through sights, sounds, smells, textures and tastes.”
Artists who are taking part in this unique installation experience include pattern designer Camilla Meijer, product designer Haidee Drew, artist Maisie Broadhead, silversmith David Clarke, food and scent designer AVM Curiosities, and furniture and product designer Gareth Neal. All of the artworks will be available to purchase.
Lives, Loves and Loss: Traces at Fenton House will run at Fenton House in Hampstead Grove from the 3rd to the 23rd December. For more information visit: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fenton-house-and-garden/features/lives-loves-and-loss-traces-at-fenton-house.