Gallery 3

Peter Lord

The world that Peter Lord shows through this exhibition is one of mystery, myth, history and illusion based on his innate sense of curiosity. He references religious themes, the opening of tombs, the Tarot, the phases of the moon and Celtic imagery, as well as the substance of dreams.

Many of his sculptural pieces explore the outside and the hidden inside of an object. The boxes, handmade books, temples and triptychs each hold secrets within, but they are not always what you expect. A black book, which from the outside looks like a large family bible which one would expect to enclose reassuring texts, opens to reveal montages depicting the hopelessness of the human condition. Temples have mirrors and lights within to create the illusion that the inside is larger than the outside. Hidden drawers and concealed lids open to reveal their treasures much like the tomb of Tutankhamun, opened in the 1920s and the Winchester mortuary chests, opened in the 2010s.

The narrative thread has always been important to Peter Lord and runs through all the work he has produced from his early sculptures to his most recent books, television programmes and the exhibitions he has curated. He draws upon many sources to pull the story together and has the ability to focus on intricate details, while still being able to present the bigger picture in an accessible way.

Curated by Jill Piercy

View Pethau Cudd / Hidden Things, a Culture Colony film here.