A new art exhibition has opened at a stately home in North Yorkshire allowing viewers to enjoy an intimate moment with people they have never met.
Opening with a launch night on Thursday (May 18), the ‘People We Love’ exhibition is the latest offering at Castle Howard, near Malton.
It has been created by artist Kit Monkman and showcases portraits of local residents gazing at a picture of someone they love.
These portraits are shown on high-definition screens in the stately home’s chapel.
The exhibition encourages viewers to enjoy a quiet moment in the chapel and stare at the screens, which show a three-minute video of the models starting back at them.
Over the three minutes each movement and expression reveals something about the person.
Castle Howard has long been a place to view artwork – with work by Pannini, Zuccarelli and Canaletto on display throughout the home.
This new exhibition provides a fresh take on art, with everyday people at its core.
Kit Monkman said he chose to bring the project to Ryedale as it was important to represent the community.
The exhibition has previously taken place in York, Selby, and in Pittsburgh, USA.
Growing up in Hambleton, Kit said Ryedale took him back to his early years.
The work was commissioned by Mediale using funding by Arts Council England and supported by Motion.
Following this exhibition, Kit plans to take People We love to Jersey and Viborg, in Denmark, next.
Sally Pank and Dan Tyrell took part in the exhibition and can now been seen on screen in the chapel until the exhibition closes in October.
The couple live in York and also have a holiday home near Castle Howard.
During the process of creating the artwork, they were first asked a series of questions of how they first met and then recorded for over six minutes looking at each other.
On seeing the exhibition in person, Sally said: “It’s quite a profound experience seeing it rather than being in it.”
Dan added that viewing the work is “very intimate”.
“When you’re starring at a stranger you don’t normally get to stare at them for that long,” he said.
“It’s a very private moment.”
Speaking on the opening night, Kit said: “It’s been great, it’s been fun.
“The chapel is just such a beautiful space.”
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Ian Conlan, Mayor of Malton, was present on the opening night and said the exhibition was “fantastic”.
“I really liked the way that (the Castle Howard team) encouraged people to spend time and to slow down,” he said.
“I would encourage anyone to come and enjoy this.”
The mayor added that he would encourage people to bring an “open mind” with them when viewing the work.
People We Love is free to view with a Castle Howard house and gardens ticket.
For more information, visit: https://www.castlehoward.co.uk/
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