New Art Exhibition Celebrating English Rewilding Sites Opens at Knepp
Artist Rebecca Howard has launched a major new exhibition featuring nine large canvases depicting rewilding sites across England. The collection, which is hosted at the Knepp estate in West Sussex, runs until 18 October.
A brand-new art exhibition celebrating the ongoing transformation of English rewilding landscapes has officially opened to the public. The collection, created by artist Rebecca Howard, officially opened on 12 September at the renowned Knepp estate located in West Sussex, England.
The striking exhibition is the culmination of two dedicated years spent by the artist visiting various rewilding projects situated across the country. During this extensive period of travel and research, Howard explored diverse locations including the Cabilla project, the host venue at Knepp, a West Country farm managed by Derek Gow, Allestree Park situated in Derby, and the Broughton Sanctuary.
The resulting body of work features a series of nine large canvases that capture the unique ecological spirit of these varied landscapes. Each of the nine individual canvases has been meticulously crafted, with the artist spending an entire month dedicated to painting every single large piece. To maintain a consistent and powerful visual scale throughout the gallery space, each of the canvases has been constructed to measure precisely 120cm in height and 70cm in width.
Speaking about the creative vision behind her work, artist Rebecca Howard explained her desire to inspire audiences through art rather than leaving them disheartened by global ecological challenges. "I wanted to create a positive exhibition that people could view and feel empowered to do something of their own, and not feel totally overwhelmed by the challenges we face with our climate and biodiversity crisis," she said.
Howard also highlighted how her artistic perspective challenges traditional landscape depictions by embracing the raw, untamed realities of natural regeneration. "If you walk into an art gallery you’re faced with seascapes or bluebell woods but you don’t often see a dead tree in a painting," she noted, adding that she found deep inspiration in a particular subject: "It was a felled tree waiting to happen but there was something very beautiful about that stasis between a living and a dead tree."
Reflecting on the warm reception she received while touring the various conservation initiatives, Howard praised the collaborative spirit of the landowners and project leaders involved. "Each of the sites were after the same thing – they wanted to increase the biodiversity of their place and get the most out of their land – but they were also all so keen to show me around. They came back to me with enthusiasm and openness, there was no agenda," she stated. Highlighting the cultural importance of the project, Lia Brazier remarked, "Rewilding needs to exist not only in our landscapes, but in our culture and imagination too, so we’re thrilled to be hosting this important body of work." Visitors wishing to view the collection can visit the exhibition at the Knepp estate, where it will remain open to the public until 18 October.
