A Secret Sculpture Garden Is Coming To Central London

London is home to a pleasing plethora of two very important free things: green space and art galleries. What do you get when you combine them? A gorgeous open-air art space called The Artist’s Garden, hidden atop Temple tube station. The next exhibition on the roster is MARY MARY, an exhibition dedicated to women sculptors. Here’s what you need to know.

MARY MARY At Artist’s Garden, Temple

Presented by theCOLAB with Artist’s Garden, MARY MARY will showcase the work of nine woman sculptors, including:

• Newly commissioned works by Rong Bao, Candida Powell-Williams and Alice Wilson
• Adapted works by Lucy Gregory and L R Vandy
• Existing works by Olivia Bax, Frances Richardson, Holly Stevenson and Virginia Overton

It’s the world’s first sculpture garden dedicated to the work of women, using the eponymous nursery rhyme as a throughline, positively reframing forceful or ‘contrary’ women.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow? 

With silver bells, and cockle shells, 

And pretty maids all in a row.

Interestingly, the roof terrace is thought to partially occupy land on which a 17th century formal garden once stood, in which the Lord and Lady Arundel amassed and displayed England’s first classical sculpture collection. The diverse group of artists on display are unified by a desire to be recognised and listened to, enacting a large-scale reclamation of this inner-city sculptural space and of space in the art canon (women artists still represent less than 30 percent of the work in commercial galleries and public collections).

Holly Stevenson
Another Mother
2022

‘Since it opened in 2021, The Artist’s Garden has consistently demonstrated the refreshingly non-conformist approaches of women artists, offering new perspectives on the possibilities of sculpture – materially, and as a conduit for revealing untold stories about people and places,’ says Claire Mander, Director and Curator at theCOLAB. ‘theCOLAB and Westminster City Council are working in partnership towards redefining the future of public sculpture.’

‘We are delighted to support the MARY MARY exhibition at the Artist’s Garden through our partnership with theCOLAB,’ adds Councillor Ryan Jude, Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology and Culture. ‘As part of our commitment to delivering a Fairer Westminster, we are dedicated to creating inclusive cultural spaces. By showcasing the work of nine women artists, this exhibition continues to enhance this historic space and champion diversity in the arts.’

Where?

Artist’s Garden is a half-acre roof terrace on top of Temple tube station.

The address is: 1 Temple Place, London WC2R 2PH

When?

MARY MARY will take over The Artist’s Garden from 3 October 2024 until September 2025.

How?

Just hop off the tube at Temple – or walk along Victoria Embankment – and venture up to the roof terrace. It’s totally free to visit, and you don’t need a ticket.