The vibe at Chatsworth House isn’t normally very Burning Man. Not many naked hippies or mind-altering substances to be found here. But this country pile in the Derbyshire Dales – home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire – has officially welcomed the spirit of the legendary music festival into its grounds via a new exhibition of wacky sculptures.
Sure, it’s not exactly the Nevada desert. In the heart of the Peak District National Park, the stately home is probably best known as a historic gentry seat (and the location for the 2005 Pride and Prejudice film). Now, though, its expansive grounds have been dotted with a geometric steel head, a skeletal pegasus and a collection of giant moths, among others. All those artworks featured were originally commissioned by the festival – and you’ll no doubt recognise some of them from your Insta feed.
Other highlights of ‘Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man’ include ‘Lodestar’ by Joshua Tree-based artist Randy Polumbo: a World War II jet that has blossomed into a weird, otherworldly flower. There’s also ‘Murder, Inc.’ – a spooky collection of crows – and ‘Transmutation’, a multicoloured sabre-toothed tiger.
‘It may seem alien, works set within a quintessential English landscape rather than the arid desert conditions, but Chatsworth has a distinguished tradition of placing sculptures in its gardens to powerful effect,’ says Marina Ruiz Colomer, a Director at Sotheby’s who helped put together the show.
‘Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man at Chatsworth’ will run from April 8 to October 1. Tickets are free – and you can book yours now on the Chatsworth House website.
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