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Amelia Lancaster exhibition

Abstractions: Studies of the National Theatre

Amelia Lancaster has been photographing the South Bank and its architecture since 2003. This exhibition presents a selection of her works from throughout this time, which centre on the National Theatre’s architecture.

Mainly shot on 35mm film, these pieces are later transformed through spatial abstraction to reveal a different side to our building.

Within the series are three subsets: Beautiful Brutalism, Reduction, and Negatives. Each subset uses colour and contrast to take the already-angular National Theatre and create new abstract compositions.

Lancaster reshapes Denys Lasdun’s iconic architecture in this curated free exhibition.

Where: Wolfson Gallery (between Lasdun Restaurant and the Olivier Stalls level)

When: Till Autumn 2024

Price: Free. No booking required.

Open: Any time during building opening hours – see Your Visit for details.

Gallery

A black and grey image of a concrete tower, terraces and other structures of the National Theatre.
A black and grey image of a concrete tower, terraces and other structures of the National Theatre.
A black and grey image of a concrete tower, terraces and other structures of the National Theatre.
View 10 images
A near abstract image of the National Theatre building in black, red and white oblongs. An image of the National Theatre's exterior surface of a tower and terraces, in shades of blue, black and white. Images of four fragments of concrete exterior wall panels on a black background The concrete exterior of the National Theatre, lightly sketched in whites and greys. A black and grey image of a concrete tower, terraces and other structures of the National Theatre. A semi-abstract image made up of forms and shapes of buildings on the South Bank in London. A near abstract image of the National Theatre building in yellow, red, black and white oblongs. Two images of part of the exterior of the National Theatre, one lightly sketched in whites and greys, and the other a much more detailed and larger scale version of the former, in shades of black and greys. Two images of part of the exterior of the National Theatre, one fully rendered in black and grey, and the other an almost abstract version of the former, in black red and white oblongs.

About the Artist

Amelia Lancaster originally trained as an architect and set designer, winning a National Set Design Competition to work at the BBC, and worked as an Art Director before becoming an artist and photographer.

From 2018-2021 Lancaster was Artist in Residence for the London Borough of Brent on The South Kilburn Housing Estate. ‘Memorial Lines’ records traces of past lives during an extensive period of regeneration, silently reflecting on inhabitants in their absence. These pictures were exhibited at The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and The London Festival of Architecture.

In 2019 Lancaster was commissioned by Brent Council to take a series of portraits to celebrate the lives of tenants for The Addison Act Centenary, commemorating 100 years of council homes and the start of social housing. These were exhibited at the Brent Civic Centre with The Chartered Institute of Housing.

Abstractions: Studies from the National Theatre is her debut solo exhibition.

Visit amelialancaster.com for more information (link opens in a new tab).