Major sculpture exhibition in central London to reclaim space for women artists
The exhibition ‘MARY MARY’ will feature sculptures by nine women artists on the roof terrace above Temple tube station from October 2024 to September 2025.
The Artist’s Garden in central London is set to host MARY MARY, a groundbreaking outdoor sculpture exhibition showcasing the work of nine women artists. Running from October 2024, this exhibition transforms the once-neglected half-acre roof terrace above Temple tube station into the world’s first sculpture garden exclusively dedicated to women artists. Featuring newly commissioned and adapted works by Rong Bao, Candida Powell-Williams, Alice Wilson, Lucy Gregory, and L R Vandy, as well as existing pieces by Olivia Bax, Frances Richardson, Holly Stevenson, and Virginia Overton, MARY MARY aims to redefine the public space with a fresh sculptural language.
The exhibition challenges traditional views by exploring and subverting architectural and historical aspects of the garden. It seeks to reclaim both physical and conceptual space in a male-dominated art world. Each artist's work addresses themes of space reclamation and historical context, from Bao's tactile Yellow Path, critiquing urban accessibility issues, to Gregory's kinetic It’s All Kicking Off, which invites viewers to engage with her surreal mechanisms. The sculptures not only decorate the space but also provoke dialogue around women’s roles and representation in the art world.
MARY MARY represents a significant cultural intervention, uniting a diverse group of women artists to engage with and transform the urban landscape. The exhibition, which is supported by Westminster City Council and conceived by theCOLAB, reflects a broader movement to elevate women's contributions in art and offers a platform for their voices to be heard and appreciated.
Date: 3 October 2024 - September 2025. Location: Artist’s Garden, Temple Place, London WC2R 2PH. thecolab.art.