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The Last Blast of Fresh Air
Fresh Air Sculpture was launched in 1992 by Lucy Abel Smith and her late husband David as a biennial exhibition celebrating contemporary art in the beautiful riverside setting of their garden at the Quenington Old Rectory near Cirencester.
Lucy and the Trustees decided in 2024 that the 17th show, Fresh Air Sculpture 2026, was to be the last.
“What a celebration it was! An artist from each of the previous shows was invited to return to show alongside many new artists with a total of 104 artists and 242 sculptures. It was the biggest show Fresh Air Sculpture has ever put on. Art has always been at the heart of what we do at The Old Rectory and this was a great celebration – a testament to what Fresh Air Sculpture has achieved over 34 years.” Lucy
Looking to the future, The Quenington Sculpture Trust will continue to fund bursaries for tutors and creatives, focussing on makers and designers in the applied and decorative arts which are most under threat from cuts in schools and colleges.
Fresh Air Sculpture was a biennial sculpture exhibition held in the expansive organic garden of The Old Rectory in the Cotswold village of Quenington. The show afforded a unique opportunity to see a creative mixture of traditional, modern and cutting-edge sculpture in this stunning outdoor setting. The Old Rectory gardens offer vast lawns joined by a bridge over the River Coln. There are hidden walkways, delightful pergolas, stunning flower beds and impressive vegetable gardens and greenhouses.
Fresh Air Sculpture gathered over 200 contemporary pieces of outside sculpture together in this tranquil setting, many of which had been created specifically for the gardens. The excitement of Fresh Air Sculpture was the huge diversity of materials exploring a variety of media: from stone to textiles, ceramic to glass, sound to video, mosaic to metals, rubber to resin. Monumental pieces sit alongside smaller works to suit every size of garden or outdoor space.
The Pool House was converted into a modern gallery shop showcasing the best in contemporary design and craft – glass, textiles, leather, jewellery, ceramics and more.