Gallery Visit: Stephen Cox - Myth

Cox's sculptures encompass stone carving techniques and rare materials in work conceived and produced all around the world from India to Egypt, Italy as well as here in the UK. He has taken on many traditional techniques learnt in these different locations, adopting finishes developed by stone masons over hundreds of years into his production.

So why is this opportunity to view a large selection of his work to be welcomed and why is Cox not better known here in the UK? One reason may be due to the difficulty in staging exhibitions on this scale. His work is beautifully realised. The quality of the carving is remarkable, he operates at a different level. However, even simple installations of his sculpture require considerable staging, re-enforced floors (each sculpture can be several tons), and although the basalt and porphyry he works with are among the hardest substances available to sculptors, the surfaces are often highly finished and need to be handled carefully. Fortunately the small team at Houghton can provide the technical support required to mount this kind of exhibition.

Myth was presented throughout the park, gardens and interior of Houghton Hall, one of Norfolk's most celebrated and decorative country houses. There has been a beautiful Stephen Cox installation in the permanent collection, located in woodland not far from the house for years. It is a little hidden away, but rewarding for those who seek it out. So this outing provided an exceptional context to view what was a comprehensive show of Cox's work. Allowing those not familiar, to get to know his preoccupations and gain a welcome insight into his methodology.

Before this show, I had only seen Cox's drawings close-up when I was working at Lisson Gallery, London in the early nineties I remember coming across a small portfolio of beautiful chalk preparatory drawings for sculpture in the warehouse. They left a strong impression. We felt fortunate to catch this show just before it closed.

Consisting of around 20 large-scale stone sculptures in the park and gardens, with many more table top works carved in pale alabaster, rich porphyry and mottled marble installed in the State Rooms on the first floor of the house, there was a lot to look at. The two room gallery space in the South wing of the house had a selection of work on paper, including drawings for some of the figures in the park. There was also a black English basalt figure, Shrouded Peregrine, and a porphyry and Egyptian breccia figure, Song II, which turned the darkened space into a sepulchre.

Let's be clear, 'the sense of an ending' is never far away in Cox's work. Which may be the other reason he is not a familiar figure in Britain. Death pervades each installation, the proportions are on a human scale, the influence of the human body is ever present. The Egyptian porphyry Cox has somehow coaxed from ancient mines once restricted, is the colour of liver.

There is a reverence for historic carved figures and their presentation in the hush of a museum undercroft in his work, which may be too gloomy for some. But a rare treat for those that appreciate the act of slow revelation, and carving at its finest using rare materials. This was easily the most successful exhibition staged at Houghton Hall in recent years. Cox's work found its home here, albeit temporarily.

Stephen Cox has been widely collected and is well represented in both private and national museum collections, as well as celebrated in museum exhibitions that have included MOMA, New York, the National Gallery, and Tate Britain, London. He became a Royal Academician in 2006.

The exhibition was held from 4 May to 28 September 2025.

About the author

Paul Barratt

Paul Barratt started working in contemporary art galleries in 1989, having graduated in Fine Art from Goldmsith’s, London University. He initially worked at Anthony d’Offay Gallery, one of the contemporary art dealers, who dominated the London art market in the 80s and 90s. He was approached by the Lisson Gallery to be gallery manager for the influential art dealer Nicholas Logsdail. This was followed by a short period in New York at Gladstone Gallery, to work for visionary art dealer Barbara Gladstone, working with the artist and filmmaker Matthew Barney.

 

On his return to London, Paul secured a place on the postgraduate curatorial course at the Royal College of Art, to complete an MA. After graduation in 2001, he worked as an independent curator on several projects in Oslo, London, Brighton and Basel, before joining Paul Vater at his design agency Sugarfree in 2004. He has worked with Paul ever since.

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