Landscapes of Thomas Hardy’s Wessex

Great news for Hardy Fans! Landscapes of Thomas Hardy’s Wessex, an exhibition of contemporary art influenced by the Dorset author’s works, is now on display at Dorset County Museum.

Artists Rob Pountney, David Inshaw and Dave Gunning have all chosen a small number of specific pieces from their bodies of work which reflect a range of ideas and emotional reponses to their natural surroundings. These artworks include charcoal drawings, prints, steel etchings, and oil paintings.

What ties these artists together is the influence Hardy’s work has had on the way they look at Dorset. Thomas Hardy was a leading figure in the naturalism movement, which emphasized the important role that environment plays in shaping an individual’s character. Thus in his novels, the setting of Wessex functioned almost as a character in of itself, crucial to the human stories he sought to explore.

If you have an interest in Thomas Hardy’s work or just in the landscapes of natural Dorset generally, you would be well advised to visit this exhibition. It runs until June 16th, and entry is free.

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