Summer Programme

The first major UK presentation of American land artist Nancy Holt (1938–2014) – best known for her Sun Tunnels (1973–76) in the Utah desert – invites visitors to explore art shaped by light, language and space. Works include her early Concrete Poetry, photography, film and two landmark installations that extend into the landscape. Among them is Hydra’s Head, a series of water-filled pools that bear witness to their environment. 

Describing her work as “magic minimalism”, Eva Rothschild (b.1971) combines hand-made processes with industrial fabrication to disrupt expectations through material, colour and composition. Presented across the Pigott Gallery and the landscape, her exhibition includes sculptural works alongside a new textile woven locally at West Dean's Tapestry Studio.

Unveiling in spring 2026, Magic Square #3 is the first European outdoor installation by Brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica (1937 –1980), a pioneer of the Tropicália movement. Constructed from the artist’s original instructions, visitors will walk through a sequence of vivid colour planes, where shifting angles, light and views of the surrounding landscape activate an evolving spatial experience. 

One of the world’s most prominent contemporary artists, Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929) brings her singular vision to the South Downs with an iconic example of her large-scale sculptures - a reflection of her lifelong exploration of infinity through repetition and polka dots. 

South Korean artist Lee Ufan (b. 1936) emerged in the 1960s as a central figure in the Tokyo-based Mono-ha movement. Installed within the Foundation’s landscape, a large-scale sculpture from his Relatum series will invite visitors to experience a heightened awareness of space, material and presence - challenging how we perceive matter, place and ourselves. 

Recognised for her exploration of colour, pattern and texture, New York–based artist Polly Apfelbaum’s glazed ceramics and works on paper will be installed throughout the atrium and along the walls of 24, our restaurant. Shaped by the legacies of post-war art and popular culture, Apfelbaum blurs the boundaries between art and craft.