Art and Agriculture: Productive Land

A Contemporary Landscape Exhibition at South Stoke

12 to 16 June 2025.

South Stoke, near Arundel - A South Downs Farm

In May 2024 Zimmer Stewart Gallery presented Art and Agriculture – South Stoke Idyll, in conjunction with Ryan Haydon, farmer at South Stoke, near Arundel. This year in June we present 'Productive Land'.

Installation view of Art and Agriculture: South Stoke Idyll in May 2024

The 2024 exhibition included paintings by Matt and Nick Bodimeade with an installation by Emma Hurst and a video FEED by Adam Stead. The paintings, installation and video were directly related to the farm at South Stoke, and a response to our collective connection to the land and farming.

There was a talk/panel discussion during the exhibition facilitated by Adam Stead, with the three other artists and Ryan Haydon. A film of this talk and text is available here.

For Productive Land in 2025, we are building on the success of the 2024 exhibition and have developed the theme as well as broadened the number of artists taking part.

The term 'Productive Land' refers to an area that can support agriculture. Traditionally this means that it is capable of growing crops or supporting livestock. It is often characterised by fertile soil, access to water, acccessibility and suitable climate conditions. These days agricultural activities are much broader than crops and livestock, as set out below.

Food production is still the fundamental purpose of agriculture, a point raised by Ryan Haydon in his opening statement on the 2024 panel discussion.

He went on to say that the work of farming today has evolved to further activities beyond solely food production. Farmers are now encouraged to create a ‘green and pleasant land' for the increasing number of leisure seekers and to support biodiversity by creating woodlands, field buffers of wild flowers and new hedgerows.

Wild flower field margins also provide numerous benefits, including attracting pollinators and aiding in natural pest control. 

Woodlands offer numerous benefits to farming, including: Providing shelter for livestock in harsh weather conditions and crops to reduce wind damage, improve water efficiency, reduce water erosion and even reduce spray drift from pesticides; diversifying income streams through timber and carbon credits; improving soil health and water quality; and of course enhancing biodiversity. Woodlands are used for recreational activities, such as walking, cycling, and camping, attracting visitors and generating other sources income for the farm. 

So, for us Productive Land is the brief given to the 23 artists invited to submit works for this unique exhibition. This can be interpreted by each artist in their own way; for example, productive in this sense could include woodland, field margins, headland, etc.

Looking at the works submitted (see below) we can see the range of representations of Productive Land. These include:

• Memories of certain places

• The interplay of human and natural forces

• Highlighting biodiversity

• Land use as a tool for education or other community/charitable purposes

• Showing light and shadows

• Limited colours

• Boosted colours

• Glimpses of the landscape through woodlands

• Abstractions

• and of course pastoral scenes

or any combination of the above.

It is clear that as well as appreciating the works for what they are, we can also delve deeper into the processes the artist used and the subject matter itself.

All the artists taking part have a connection to Sussex.

The exhibition in 2025 will take place from 12 to 16 June 2025 at South Stoke Barn, South Stoke, near Arundel, BN18 9PF:

• The exhibition will be open everyday from 11am-6pm

• The Private View is on Thursday 12 June, 6-8pm

• A Talk on Art and Agriculture: Productive Land led by Ryan Haydon with James Stewart and Nick Bodimeade is on Friday13 June in support of The Sussex Snowdrop Trust. Tickets cost £25 and includes champagne and delicious canapés provided by Ren's Kitchen.

  
  

Click here to go to The Sussex Snowdrop Trust website to find out more and buy tickets.

The 22 participating artists are:

Emily Ball

Matt Bodimeade

Nick Bodemade

Pippa Blake

Tom Farthing

John Harmer

Emma Hurst

Frances Knight

Andrew Milne

Karin Moorhouse

Paul Newland

Lucinda Oestreicher

Piers Ottey

Deborah Petch

Andrew Roberts

Tiffany Robinson

Melanie Rose

Tania Rutland

Kate Sherman

Catherine Somerville

Phil Tyler

Andy Waite