A surreal sculpture resembling intertwined, organic forms lies against a stone wall, surrounded by lush greenery. The soft, pale textures contrast with the rugged stone, creating an intriguing visual interplay between nature and art.
Plan your visit

Nicola Turner: Time’s Scythe

– Chapel, Outdoors

About Nicola Turner: Time’s Scythe

Opening in time for the Easter holidays, Time’s Scythe is a brand-new installation by British artist Nicola Turner that breathes new life into the 18th-century Chapel. 

The installation will be created inside the chapel using recycled wool and horsehair, which is hand-stitched inside mesh to create the work’s bulbous tendrils. Beginning outdoors, the work will spill from the Chapel bell tower and enter through an upper window, before cascading over the balcony to fill the gallery space. The natural earthy smell of the wool will create a tactile, sensory experience as you walk amongst and around the flowing tentacles.

This is Turner’s first large-scale installation to use pale wool and creates a different energy to her dark sculptures, moving away from their more melancholic character. 

  • A sculptural piece crafted from soft, white wool with a brown seam. It features vintage metallic shears as feet, giving it a slightly menacing appearance against a plain white background.
  • A large, abstract sculpture made of intertwined dark fabric forms two towering figures that appear to reach towards a central statue of a man. The setting is an elegant historic building, with classical architecture in the background.
  • An abstract sculpture resembling a large, twisted creature with multiple limbs emerges from a concrete pillar in a minimalist gallery space. The floor is bare, and the walls are white, enhancing the striking presence of the artwork.

Turner’s work often incorporates found historical objects. Time’s Scythe will use traditional sheep shears at the end of each tendril, reaching towards the altar like claws. They create a connection to the sheep at YSP, which have their fleeces shorn during spring in the nearby Shadow Stone Fold by Andy Goldsworthy, and links to local traditions of manufacturing and industry.

Read the press release to find out more.

Time’s Scythe is presented in collaboration with Annely Juda Fine Art. With thanks to Southern & Partners: Artist Management

Related Events

  1. A woman wearing a paint covered apron, demonstrates a printing technique using leaves in a brightly lit studio with a window behind her.
    Event

    Teacher CPD: Techniques in Printing - Inspired by Nature

    Educators are invited to a hands-on interactive session to explore a range of printing techniques, including relief printing, collagraph and screen printing, all of which can be replicated in the classroom.
  2. A group of people sitting on yoga mats and practicing yoga inside a gallery space.
    Event

    Yoga and Sound Bath Relaxation: Nicola Turner

    –
    Join us for a yoga practice in the Chapel, surrounded by Nicola Turner's tactile installation.
  3. A collection of thick, natural fibre ropes hanging against a textured background. The ropes are tied with colourful bands of red, blue, and yellow, showcasing various lengths and frayed ends, creating a rustic and industrial aesthetic.
    Event

    Patrons and Friends: Curatorial Tour of LR Vandy and Nicola Turner exhibitions

    Exclusively for YSP Patrons and Friends, join curators Sarah Coulson and Louise Lohr for a rare out-of-hours tour of new exhibitions by LR Vandy and Nicola Turner.
  4. A group of people engage in a creative workshop in a bright, modern space. Some are gathered around a table covered with craft materials, while others are focused on their phones or chatting. The walls feature artistic silhouettes.
    Event

    Teacher Study Day 2026

    YSP and the National Arts Education Archive (NAEA) invite education professionals to an inspiring study day focussed on the upcoming exhibition Hold to this Earth: Works by Contemporary Indigenous North American Artists from Tia Collection

You may also like

  1. A person with long, grey hair sits on a chair in a workshop, carefully working with thick ropes. Surrounding them are large, woven structures and tools, creating a creative and industrious atmosphere. Natural light filters through the space.

    LR Vandy: Rise

    –
    Rise is an ambitious first solo museum exhibition by LR Vandy, created for The Weston Gallery
  2. A life-sized sculpture of a figure covered in intricate body art and clay, standing confidently. The figure is adorned with numerous pins radiating from the head, and white ribbons hang from the waist, set against a dark background.

    Hold to this Earth: Works by Contemporary Indigenous North American Artists from Tia Collection

    –
    Headlining our 2026 programme is a major presentation of work by contemporary Indigenous American artists from Tia Collection.
  3. A dry stone wall sheep fold enclosure
    Art Outdoors

    Andy Goldsworthy: Shadow Stone Fold

  4. A gilded gold sculpture of a human figure with the skin removed revealing the musculature, displayed inside a glass house with large bushes. The figure is holding a knife and scissors.
    Art Outdoors

    Damien Hirst: The Martyr – Saint Bartholomew

    The Martyr – Saint Bartholomew depicts the martyred saint who was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. In Hirst’s version he holds scissors and a scalpel to suggest that his torture is self-inflicted.