Mark Stoddart Sculpture

Sculpture exhibition puts East Lodge and the Peak District on a Pedestal

A new sculpture exhibition opening this week is set to transform one village in the Peak District into the UK's sculpture capital.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sep 13, 2010 - A new sculpture exhibition opening this week is set to transform one village in the Peak District into the UK's sculpture capital and for one top hotel involved in hosting the event, it's a unique opportunity to put their own attractions and those of the Peak District in general on a pedestal for all to see.

From Monday 13 September - Thursday 14 October, multi award-winning Rowsley hotel and restaurant East Lodge has given over its 10 acres of grounds to showcase sculpture from some of the finest artists in the field in a unique outdoor exhibition - the first of its kind conceived by Derwent-Wye Fine Art.

The sculptures are already in situ at East Lodge, which include "Porthia", a large Barbara Hepworth inspired piece by Nottingham's Mark Stoddart and "Pebble Seats" by the celebrated Cornish artist Ben Barrell, whose exploration of the relationships between sculpture and furniture has captured the imagination of thousands. The first showing of "Pebble Seats" at this year's Chelsea Flower Show has only added to Ben's renown and growing army of admirers.

"The sculptures are all in place and look absolutely stunning in the sunlight," explained East Lodge director Iain Hardman. "With 10 acres of grounds, the sculptures have been well spaced out and give a real sense of drama to the landscape. We hope the exhibition will draw local and national people to view the works and in doing so, showcase the other attractions our region offers."

"This is the first time we have devoted a whole exhibition to sculpture," said John Basford, a director of Derwent-Wye. "Whether buying or just viewing, we hope people enjoy the exhibition and try to find time to treat themselves to the pleasures of the table at East Lodge and The Peacock hotels which have generously offered their grounds for the event."

As the closest hotel to Chatsworth, and one of the three sites chosen for the exhibition, East Lodge is the perfect place for art lovers and potential purchasers of the works to stay, while they take in both the sculptures and scenery that has made the Peak District justly famous.

As well as being recognised as one of the finest hotels not just in the region but the UK, East Lodge is a popular venue for weddings, national conferencing and important business meetings, when only the very best will do. This exhibition of sculpture is just one more example of the variety of different events the hotel is booked for. Selected by Conde? Nast as one of the three finalists in their "best venue hotel" award category, the hotel is situated within 10 acres of its own grounds, which means that there is ample room for the sculptures to be displayed and should art lovers wish to fly in from other parts of the country, arrival by helicopter is welcome. The secure nature of the building and grounds also makes East Lodge ideal for VIP visitors and exclusive use.

East Lodge remains one of the top hotels and restaurants in the UK, with a prestigious range of accolades to its name. Owned by the Hardman family, East Lodge can also point to the coveted AA "Inspectors' Choice" Award, with three red stars for 2010 placing it within the top 150 hotels in the whole of the UK and East Lodge remains just one of 48 hotels in the country presented with a Visit England Gold Award.

The sculptures on display at East Lodge will be available to view Monday -Thursday from 10am to 6pm. The exhibition is completely free to enter and a catalogue of all the works being displayed across all three display sites is available now. To find out more about staying at East Lodge or the forthcoming exhibition, call 01629 734474. Alternatively, visit the hotel website at www.eastlodge.com