Mountain Heritage representatives including Chair Julie Summers, Trustee Anna Van Oordt, Collections Manager Maxine Willett, and Assistant Claire Carter were delighted to attend the opening of the Adventures exhibition at Rheged Discovery Centre featuring work of several of our patrons and associates. John Stokes’ curation gives an intimate experience of each artist’s sense of adventure, neatly sidestepping any cliche.

Hung in the cavernous main hall of the Centre, the MHT commissioned ‘Scafell Crag’  by Julian Cooper, is a physically impressive introduction to the exhibition. Cooper’s preparatory sketches are included inside and articulate the process of creating the painting during the outbreak of foot and mouth disease across England.

The beautiful work of MHT Patron John Innerdale MBE is exhibited with his immaculate sketch book diaries allowing a detailed insight into his travels. Fellow Patron Chris Bonington contributed a series of unseen photographs taken from a range of adventurous vistas and these archives are juxtaposed with new work from artist Derek Eland. Derek responded to items from the MHT collection with artwork that plays with the viewer’s perception of these objects, such as a ‘lost’ Everest expedition mitt.

Five other artists make up this intelligent exhibition, exploring ideas of time and moment, craftsmanship, technical development and mapping among other themes of adventure. The exhibition is open everyday until the 13th of July.