Art to experience in the great outdoors

By Emily Spicer on 21/6/2022

They say food always tastes better outdoors and it's true that there is something about fresh air and daylight that really heightens the senses. Arguably, sculpture is also best experienced outside, so why not take a day trip to an art trail in London or further afield?

The Line, London

The Line is a free public art walk populated with works by some of the biggest names in sculpture. The walk runs from Stratford to the O2, offering a wealth of historical sites along the way. Exhibiting artists include Anish Kapoor, Gary Hume and Anthony Gormley.

WHERE

London

Sheila Hicks, Granary Square, Kings Cross

Woven Wonders brings a riot of colour and floating forms to Coal Drops yard this summer. Created by renowned sculptor Sheila Hicks, the installation features repurposed textiles suspended like the threads of a giant loom, echoing the textile industry's rich history in the Kings Cross area.

WHEN

27 May - 16 Oct

WHERE

Coal Drop's Yard, Kings Cross London N1C 4DQ

Sculpture in the City

London's Square Mile is the setting for Sculpture in the City, now its 11th year. Take a tour through the financial district and take in varied wonders by artists such as Sarah Lucas and Jesse Pollock and Victor Seaward. The trail is free and open 24/7, with maps available at the City Information Centre in St Paul's, at 22 Bishopgate’s Blend Cafe – entrance on the ground floor of the building off of Undershaft, or online here.

WHEN

Until Spring 2023

WHERE

City of London

Serpentine Pavilion, 2022, by Theaster Gates ★★★★★

Walking through Kensington Gardens on a blue-sky day the new Serpentine Pavilion stops you in your tracks, as a large black circular structure rises from the green grass as if something that doesn’t belong has been dropped outside The Serpentine Gallery – it’s reminiscent of the obelisk from the opening scene of 2001: A Space Odyssey, only bigger.

It’s designed by Theaster Gates and Adjaye Associates to have that effect, to draw people in the park towards it – whether they came to see it, were out for a jog or to meet friends for a picnic. It’s called the Black Chapel and, like all chapels, its architecture calls to people so they can escape the everyday and enter a different space.

WHEN

10 Jun 2022 – 16 Oct 2022, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

WHERE

Serpentine Gallery
Kensington Gardens, London, W2 3XA

Canary Wharf Art Trail

From Yinka Ilori's bold and bright Be the Best You Can Be basket ball court and Camille Walala's technicolour tunnel to Henry Moore's bronze Draped Seated Woman, Canary Wharf is a surprising Mecca for sculpture. In fact, it boasts London's largest collection of public art works - over 100 works in total. Thankfully the art map makes it easy to navigate and explore.

The grand grounds and Palladian architecture at Houghton Hall provide an imposing setting for outdoor exhibitions by internationally renowned artists. Since American artist James Turrell created 'Skyspace' in 2000, the collection has grown and the gardens have become home to works by the likes of Richard Long, Rachel Whiteread, Stephen Cox and Henry Moore. A particular highlight Anya Gallaccio's Sybil Hedge, which recreates the signature of late Lady Cholmondeley from larger than life topiary.

Advance booking required

WHERE

Houghton Hall, Norfolk