- Faith Hughes & Michael Sandford
- St Silas Church, Penton Street, London
- September 4th - October 3rd 2025
In conjunction with Portable Keyhole at Flexitron, the duo exhibition of Faith Hughes and Michael Sandford, works by both artists were presented on the grounds of St Silas Church Pentonville with A Place to Rest.
Michael Sandford’s Ant Farm is situated on the exterior fence of the churchyard. Occupying a space usually taken up by the church notice board, the functional ant farm becomes embedded in a lexicon of vernacular display. By inviting us to witness the intricate pathways of the insects’ miniature world, Sandford extends his ongoing exploration into alternative modes of observation.
Inside, Faith Hughes’ There we stop and Scenes in the home are displayed together on a windowsill along the right-hand wall of the nave. In contrast to the works at Flexitron, which depict intimate, sometimes unsettlingly bodily images, this pair of scenes are obscure and structural. Speaking to both the architecture of the lancet windows behind, and the surfaces they appear on, they offer a counterpoint to the gallery works.
The church setting naturally invites reflection, shaped by the ongoing function of the building as a place of worship. The works presented by A Place to Rest run parallel to this, exploring content that encourages a contemplation of the passing of time. This sensibility echoes the gestures found in Portable Keyhole at Flexitron, where a sense of duration is at the core of the exhibition. By occupying potentially overlooked areas of the church, A Place to Rest draws attention to liminal spaces, inviting a reconsideration of where and how contemporary artworks are encountered.