FRESH Air 2015, the 12th Biennial Quenington Sculpture Exhibition returns this Sunday, bringing together an exciting collection of work from around the world.  

One of the leading outdoor contemporary sculpture shows in the UK, FRESH AIR 2013 attracted over 14,000 visitors.

Set up by art collectors, Lucy and David Abel-Smith, the exhibition is laid out in the quintessential Cotswold setting of the five acre garden surrounding the Grade II Listed Old Rectory with the River Coln running through the garden.

This year's line up includes 97 artists, of which 30 are new to the show this year, using a combination of conventional and unusual materials such as glass, stone, ceramic, marble, wood, fabric, plastic, resin, bronze, stainless steel and multi-media installations.

The exhibition attracts artists from all over the world but there will also be contributors from the Cotswolds including wildlife sculptor Adam Binder, mosaic artist Judy Francis and glass artists Sam Herman who lives near Lechlade.

Monumental pieces sit alongside smaller works to accommodate every size of garden or

Outdoor space.

The garden becomes a living gallery with visitors wandering through the different vistas. Prices range from £50 to £50,000.

The show includes two specific site installations. The little boat house by the wooden bridge spanning the river will be home to a unique video/dance/textile installation with recordings of seasonal sounds taken from the garden by Julia van Doorne.

There is also an abstract projection installation with digital music made specifically for this year’s Fresh Air and housed in the tennis court house by Polish new media artists Radek Rudnicki and Jakub Hader.

Highlights include a dramatic architectural work by Danish sculptor Hilde A Danielson entitled Upside down again using 60 turning door frames; Michael Fairfax’s wind harps

Strung into the branches of a tree; Alison Crowther’s carved wooden sculpture made from an Old Rectory Acacia tree felled by high winds last winter; and Andrew Trotman's

Highly sculptural outdoor furniture.

The swimming pool house in the grounds of Fresh Air is home to a pop-up shop for the duration of the show allowing visitors to view the best quality contemporary and applied art, jewellery, textiles and smaller scale sculptures. This year’s theme is all things botanical inspired by pioneering female plant collectors, gardeners and botanists.

 

* Fresh Air 2015 opens to the public on Sunday, June 14 and runs until Sunday, July 5. Opening times are 10am-5pm including weekends. Admission is £4 for adults, children under 18 are free. Catalogue is £5.   Go to www.freshairsculpture.com for more.