Pointed

‘Pointed’ sits within the Robert Adam designed gatehouse at Mellerstain House and fills the void of the building, extending out from the long absent pitched roof that the inflatable form itself mimics. From this re-imagined roofline 28 dynamic, elongated peaks rise over three metres into the air, reminiscent of a starburst or a stylized explosion frozen in time.

Combining historic features with bold, contemporary sculptural practice on a vast scale, Messam establishes a lively dialogue between past and present, adding an unexpected and temporary new dimension to familiar vistas and architecture. All white in colour, the works are a contemporary echo of the marble sculptures that were originally envisaged to adorn Mellerstain’s grounds. Though the two buildings within which the works sit might now appear like follies in a state of partial ruin, they did originally serve a purpose, although some mystery surrounds their precise use at certain times and it is not entirely certain what is apocryphal. Messam extends this uncertain history with new narratives, playing with their inherent sense of magic.