Artist Polly Morgan, winner of the First Plinth: Public Art Award, unveils sculpture, OPEN! CHANNEL! FLOW! at Sudeley Castle.
We are delighted to announce the arrival of OPEN! CHANNEL! FLOW!, a striking new sculpture by acclaimed contemporary artist Polly Morgan, now on display within the grounds of Sudeley Castle.
Polly Morgan is the winner of the First Plinth: Public Art Award, a prestigious prize that champions bold, original works by leading contemporary artists. Her dynamic piece is located opposite the Emma Dent Garden, with the romantic ruins of the Tithe Barn as a dramatic backdrop—offering a thought-provoking contrast between past and present.
As the
final artwork on the visitor route, OPEN! CHANNEL! FLOW! provides a powerful
and reflective close to a day spent exploring the castle’s rich history,
enchanting gardens, and ever-evolving cultural landscape.
Sudeley Castle has long held a connection to contemporary art, led by family member Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst, CEO and cofounder of Superblue; former director of Pace Gallery London and a key figure in the international art world. Mollie continues to bring exciting, innovative artistic voices to the estate, ensuring that Sudeley remains not only a place of heritage and history, but also of creativity and modern relevance.
We invite all our visitors to take a moment at the end of their visit to experience Polly Morgan’s sculpture—a vivid reminder that Sudeley Castle, while steeped in centuries of history, continues to engage with the art and ideas of today.
About the Sculpture
OPEN! CHANNEL! FLOW! consists of two triangles of furrowed concrete adorned with painted, iridescent fibreglass casts of snakes that spill from the crevices and connect the two. Through the use of materials commonly used in boatbuilding and nail decoration, Morgan uses modern technology to mimic nature at its most dazzling and obfuscatory. The snakes are moulded into their concrete trenches, with their scales reflecting light as rainbows.
The sculpture represents how we are all shaped and constrained by our environment: the refracted light is the energy, ebb and flow of ideas, and the serpentine forms embody all life; at points intertwining, repelling and jostling for position.
A history of Contemporary Art
Sudeley Castle has hosted an impressive roster of internationally renowned contemporary artists, through exhibitions curated by Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst in collaboration with leading art institutions. Well known artists have included Marc Quinn, Damien Hirst, Anish Kapoor, Petroc Sesti and Polly Morgan.
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