Lessons in Living with Art: A Visit to Kettle's Yard
Visiting Kettle's Yard was one of our favorite stops while staying in Cambridge. Operated by Cambridge University, Kettle's Yard is part contemporary art gallery, part house museum. The gallery space was recently renovated and is a lovely place to see small exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. There was an exhibition of work by Antony Gormley on view when we visited.
But the house is really what makes Kettle's Yard a must-visit destination. The space was originally the home of Jim and Helen Ede. Jim was a curator at the Tate in the 1920s and 30s and moved to Cambridge in 1958. Through his close relationships with artists, he amassed an extensive and impressive collection of art – and he used his living space to show it off. He had a core belief that art was just as important in personal spaces as it is in public, that living with art is good for you. This is something I have in common with the Edes, and part of the reason I was so taken with their preserved space.
Jim Ede had mastered the mise-en-scène of personal space. He arranged the entire house into various nooks in which art is displayed and in which it can interact with other pieces, furniture, and with you. When visiting, we were instructed not to touch anything, but to feel free to sit in any chair we saw. Sometimes work was seen best while sitting, sometimes while standing, and sometimes while using the toilet (you couldn't actually use the WC, but you get the idea). There were paintings hung just above baseboards, sculptures sitting on shelves between dishes, and prints hidden around corners.
When the house was given to the university, it was intended to remain as it had been – to provide an example for people on how to live with art. Not everyone is a curator at the Tate and hobnobs with notable artists, but everyone can find ways to bring art into their lives. I am a firm believer in supporting my local art community and buying art from artists, but if you see something that speaks to you at your local thrift shop or even your local Target, more power to you. Art helps get at what it is to be human. Surrounding yourself with pieces that trigger a feeling, no matter where it came from, can be powerful. It can provide great satisfaction to fill your home with things in which you find beauty and meaning.
Access to both the gallery and house are free, but timed tickets are required for the house tour. If you're ever in Cambridge, do yourself a favor and pay them a visit.