Internationally renowned artist and designer Es Devlin will present Library of the Four Winds this summer, a new public sculpture in the Temple of the Four Winds at Castle Howard. The work will be on show from 13 June – 27 September and is conceived to mark the tricentenary of Sir John Vanbrugh (1664-1726), the visionary architect behind Castle Howard. Castle Howard is Britain’s most famous country house, recognised by millions across the world as the location for Brideshead Revisited and Bridgerton.
Hailed as ‘the Rockstar of the English Baroque’ and ‘the original starchitect’, Vanbrugh had concurrent careers as an architect, playwright, adventurer, soldier, spy, diplomat and garden designer. To mark the 300th anniversary of his death Castle Howard is celebrating his legacy with exhibitions, installations, workshops, talks and performances across the tercentenary year.
Library of the Four Winds is a new luminous artwork that will take over the Temple of the Four Winds and the surrounding area. The Temple of the Four Winds was originally used as a place for refreshment and reading, and Devlin has taken this as her starting point in creating the new artwork. A central sculpture made up of hundreds of books will sit within the Temple itself, with books curated from the personal libraries of Vanbrugh and Devlin. Visitors of all ages are invited to pause and join in communal reading.
The Temple will be encompassed by four concentric tables at which the public are invited to read, draw, talk, eat and listen. Extending beyond the Temple, a book trail will lead visitors into Ray Woods where book sculptures can be encountered along the way. The installation will honour the National Year of Reading, and the space will host a series of events throughout the summer.
Nicholas and Victoria Howard said:
“It was Vanbrugh’s vision that brought Castle Howard to life, and now the house has the honour of celebrating its creator. There are many ways that audiences can engage with and learn about this larger-than-life character this year, and we are delighted to present this response by Es Devlin which allows her to explore her own affinity to Vanbrugh. Her work is an innovative response to Vanbrugh’s vision and continues Castle Howard’s work with contemporary artists.”
Visitors to Castle Howard will also be able to see the exhibition Staging the Baroque: Vanbrugh at Castle Howard, designed and curated by architect Roz Barr. It explores the moment when an ambitious Vanbrugh encountered the equally ambitious Charles Howard, 3rd Earl of Carlisle, in the confines of the Kit-Cat Club in London. The Earl wanted to build a grand country house and Vanbrugh’s bold, theatrical vision inspired him to take a chance on this would-be architect who had never built anything before. The exhibition chronicles the story of this exciting creation and explores Sir John Vanbrugh’s visionary use of scale, shadow and light in the creation of one of Britain’s most iconic stately homes.
From 23 May, young visitors can take part in Playshapes: Castle Constructors, a new interactive play experience for children and families inspired by Vanbrugh’s architectural vision. Play blocks representing architectural elements of Castle Howard have been designed by Yorkshire-based artist Pippa Hale and supplied by Timberplay, giving young visitors the unique chance to make their own creations inspired by Vanbrugh.
For full listings information please see www.castlehoward.co.uk