Chatsworth curator talks Gorgeous Nothings exhibition

‘The practice of gathering is engrained in the history of collecting at Chatsworth,’ curator Allegra Pesenti tells me as we discuss the concept behind The Gorgeous Nothings: Flowers at Chatsworth exhibition.

‘The Gorgeous Nothings is also rooted in an earlier exhibition at Lismore Castle,’ she continues. ‘Here, I curated an exhibition which explored contemporary artists on a botanical subject within the wilderness and fairy tale setting of the castle which, like Chatsworth, is a seat of the Devonshire family.’

Having been approached by Lady Burlington to envisage a botanical exhibition for Chatsworth, Allegra took time to explore the house library and was immediately captivated by its vast collection of botanical books and specimens – this became the origins for The Gorgeous Nothings exhibition.

Allegra Pesenti Photo: Laura Hodgson ‘These extraordinary archives of leaves and flowers preserved for centuries within volumes and portfolios are the first ‘gorgeous nothings’ I encountered,’ explains Allegra. ‘From this point, the rest of the show developed.’

One thing’s for sure, Italian-based Allegra has significant expertise and experience to draw upon, which has helped influence The Gorgeous Nothings, which runs until October 5.

International curatorial work includes overseeing the Hammer Museum’s 45,000-piece collection in the Grunwald Center, Los Angeles, acting as chief curator at the Menil Drawing Institute in Houston.

Here, Allegra uncovers how her unique insight led to the curation of The Gorgeous Nothings – an exhibition which honours six centuries of nature experienced in many forms throughout Chatsworth.

Installation view of ‘The Gorgeous Nothings’ Photo: India Hobson, courtesy of Chatsworth House Trust Whilst researching artwork for The Gorgeous Nothings from within the Devonshire Collections, did you make any surprising discoveries?

The 18th century French herbarium, or book of collated specimens, which inspired the concept of ‘gathering’ in this exhibition was, for me, an extraordinary discovery.

This recent addition to the library belonged to Lady Anne Tree, a campaigner for prison reform and the daughter of the 10th Duke of Devonshire. Within this book, plant specimens are uniquely integrated with figurative and emblematic collages of hand coloured and cut-out prints, creating a world where science and the imagination collide.

While its author remains anonymous, all the evidence points to a most curious and imaginative mind; the specimens have been arranged into a classification system that includes grasses, trees, and exotic plants followed by unfinished sections on insects, birds and animals.

They are accompanied by copious manuscript notes in French, and Latin for the scientific names. The technical descriptions are the result of careful examination – while they present the scientific facts, their counterparts in collage diverge into fiction.

Ellie Bell with Portrait of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, by Thomas Gainsborough, in the Sculpture Gallery Photo: Chatsworth House Trust What has been your highlight whilst curating this exhibition? Is there an aspect which you have found particularly rewarding?

For me, the greatest privilege and most rewarding element of working on this exhibition, and any exhibition for that matter, is the connection with the artists themselves.

In this instance, it involved wonderful work with artists of today, but also the involvement with masters of the past, and a host of remarkable and ingenious patrons like the Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire.

The Madonna della Rosa by Domenichino in the Library Photo: Chatsworth House Trust As the exhibition showcases many talented contemporary artists alongside a variety of important historical pieces, what process did you go through to select the artists and objects on display?

The exhibition takes its cue from the American poet Emily Dickinson’s habit of composing poems on scraps of paper and used envelopes. The ‘gorgeous nothings’ she refers to in one such poem are a vital and existential matter to her.

‘Gathering’ – to bring together and take in from different places and sources – is an act of preservation and often survival. This is part of Chatsworth and underlies the choice of artists and objects featured in this exhibition.

Whether it’s specimens of a scientific nature, like the remarkable collection of fossils and minerals put together by Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, or the over 400 species of British algae catalogued and photographed by Anna Atkins in the 1840s, these are echoed in the works of contemporary artists on display.

‘Hyacinthus’ by Elliott Hundley in the Chapel Photo: Chatsworth House Trust Are there new artist commissions featured and, if so, were these pieces directly influenced by the Chatsworth Estate and Devonshire Collections?

Yes, there are a number of site-specific commissions in The Gorgeous Nothings. For these, the artists responded to the theme and to the extraordinary character and contents of Chatsworth House itself.

Greek artist Konstantin Kakanias created a room of his own within the circuit of galleries at Chatsworth. He was drawn in particular to the great collection of ceramics and dinner services at the House and spent countless hours exploring the contents of cupboards.

Los Angeles-based artist Elliott Hundley had the challenging task of conceiving a work for the altar in the Chapel. With great vision and inspiration from the garden and grounds, Hundley created a monumental scroll dedicated to the ancient hero and lover of the God Apollo, Hyacinthus.

The Madonna della Rosa by Domenichino in the Library Photo: Chatsworth House Trust Are there examples where historic sculptures at Chatsworth have inspired new art works found in the exhibition?

Most certainly. Berlin-based artist Ana Prvački has conceived a performative piece for The Gorgeous Nothings that takes inspiration from the goddess Flora, and in particular from the 17th century sculpture of Flora by Caius Gabriel Cibber, housed in a temple outside the house.

With particular reference to the Ludi Florales, or Games of Flora, the ancient Roman festival that honoured the goddess of flowers, vegetation and fertility, Prvački leads her viewers into a live trail through the garden and grounds of Chatsworth.

A realm of playfulness and wonder, together with intersections of science, folklore, spirituality, and human connection emerge in Prvački’s work. Her findings also feature in a series of immersive films that are released periodically on the Chatsworth online networks.

Inside the Sculpture Gallery Photo: India Hobson, courtesy of Chatsworth House Trust Within each theme, were the artworks installed to complement the interiors in which they are exhibited?

I would rather say that the works of art selected for this exhibition are in dialogue with the interiors that surround them. Any contemporary artist invited to exhibit at Chatsworth needs to converse and contend with artists of the past, and the curator’s role is to make those juxtapositions as subtly and seamlessly as possible.

The works need to connect rather than clash, and the key is to find that equilibrium between works of different periods, type and medium – books, paintings, fossils, minerals, sculptures, textiles, installations, drawings, prints, ceramics, costumes, wallpaper, film, and performative works are all part of this exhibition’s discourse.

Flowers play an integral part in the exhibition Photo: India Hobson, courtesy of Chatsworth House Trust Chatsworth is renowned for its fashion and textiles collections, are any of these pieces featured within the exhibition?

Among the highlights from the fashion and textiles collection are a silk shepherdess costume dress worn by Duchess Evelyn aged 19 when visiting India and Duchess Amanda’s pink butterfly/bug evening gown, designed by Alessandro Michele for Gucci.

Also, the exhibition features historic floral lace collars – these were particularly challenging to mount and display but, thanks to the ingenious efforts of the textiles and seasonal programme curator Susie Stokoe and collections technician Tomas Chaffe, they are seemingly afloat within their case.

Moulded onto transparent acrylic mannequin torsos and individually lit from below, they are aglow and ghostly.

The Painted Hall Photo: Photo: India Hobson, courtesy of Chatsworth House Trust What do you hope visitors will experience through The Gorgeous Nothings – are different parts of the exhibition designed to evoke contrasting emotional responses?

There is no more poignant time than now to be focusing on flowers and all that they represent amidst the dramatic climatic changes the world is experiencing and the scourge of the environmental crisis.

In nature, there is vulnerability but also resilience and adaptability. Death is followed by rebirth and regeneration; beauty is often accompanied by horror; and science comes hand in hand with magic and mystery.

Throughout the exhibition, if visitors feel moved and inspired on exiting it, we will have accomplished the greatest goal for any curator. Ultimately, my hope is that every person takes away at least one memory, one impression, one image, from the exhibition, and that it stays with them forever.

chatsworth.org/events/gorgeous-nothings