NEWLANDS HOUSE GALLERY
WEBSITE: NEWLANDSHOUSE.GALLERY
LOCATION: PETWORTH, SUSSEX, UK
NEAREST AIRPORT: LONDON GATWICK AIRPORT, 40 MINUTES DRIVE
Installation view of Frank Auerbach : Unseen. Photo: Elizabeth Zeschin
Nestled in the Sussex countryside is Petworth, a small cobbled village with crooked little houses and plenty of fresh air. It is perhaps the last place you would imagine finding contemporary art, but over at Newlands House Gallery, that is exactly what you will discover. For the quintessential day trip from London, without having to compromise on culture, visit the gallery as well as the whole village, which includes the stately Petworth House, whose stunning art collection rivals that of the National Gallery.
Newlands House Gallery is a Georgian house and seventeenth century barn converted into an exhibition space. It is larger than you might expect and full of original features such as fireplaces, decorative cornices and chandeliers, so the exhibitions feel more like walking through a home than visiting a white walled museum. This gives each exhibition a truly intimate atmosphere, allowing visitors to experience the art in a more focused way. The real attraction, however, is the museum quality exhibitions usually reserved for major spaces in London.
There have been shows by Joan Miró, Sean Scully and Liliane Tomasko, Julian Opie, Frank Auerbach and Lee Miller and Picasso, to name just a few. It is a wonderful way to enjoy art away from the maddening crowds of London. You can wind your way through the creaky floored galleries, learn about the artists on display and really take your time absorbing the work. The gallery also has an excellent cafe where you can have lunch after your visit, before heading to Petworth House for a stroll through its galleries to admire their Turners and Gainsboroughs.
Installation view: Joan Miró La Gran Belleza. Photo: Elizabeth Zeschin
Installation view of Sean Scully & Liliane Tomasko: From the Real. Photo: Elizabeth Zeschin
The village itself is also a delightful place to wander, with charming antique stores, bric a brac shops and boutiques. For a more substantial lunch than the gallery cafe can offer, head to The Angel Inn, a historic coaching inn serving traditional British food with an international twist. It is also a lovely place to treat yourself and stay overnight if you wish to make a weekend of it.
Newlands House Gallery opened in 2019, just before the pandemic, and although it is relatively new, it has already been named as a must visit destination by the Financial Times, The Times and others. It is what makes Petworth truly special and sets it apart from neighbouring villages. This has been a tricky piece for me to write because I am also the Artistic Director of Newlands House Gallery, responsible for curating its exhibitions. I have greatly enjoyed working with the architecture and space at Newlands House, which at times has been challenging, not least due to the narrow access points to some of the galleries on the top floor. But I have always aimed to create something special: a new perspective on those famous names.
Left: Petworth House, Right: Lombard Street, Petworth
I have included some links to what the critics have said below. It is the most unbiased thing I can think of doing.
The Financial Times: Travel Discoveries 2021 by Clare Wrathall
The Guardian. Frank Auerbach: Unseen. *****5 stars review by Jonathan Jones
The Times. Lee Miller & Picasso. ****4 stars review by Laura Freeman
The Times. Frank Auerbach: Unseen. ***4 stars review by Rachel Campbell-Johnston
Left: Entrance to Newlands House Gallery. Right: Installation view of Lee Miller & Picasso. Photos: Elizabeth Zeschin
