Inheritance: Painting - a changed environment 

Messums London, 17 November – 20 December 2025 

Messums West, 17 January – 10 March 2026 

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein 

Continuing the exploration of art as a way of representing our relationship with the environment, Messums is pleased to announce their second international open call out to artists working in paint whose practices are focused on sharing our connections to the environment.  

This curated group exhibition acknowledges that we live in a changed world, and that hope comes from understanding anew our entwined relationship to our environment and each other.

As new truths emerge so do new realisations of beauty. We recognise that this is part of an ongoing pursuit of understanding, and if proven to be enduringly true, it will be profoundly beautiful.  

A landscape can be like a work of art — its beauty shows when we see how all the parts fit together. On their own, some things might look rough or unnoticeable, like bare rocks, tangled branches, or muddy ground.

But in the bigger picture, those same features give the scene its character and depth. The way in which everything comes together — the light, the shapes, the contrasts — can make the whole landscape feel alive and beautiful.

This exhibition will be presented first at Messums London, 28 Cork Street, in November 2025, and will then tour to the magnificent 13th century tithe barn at Messums West, Wiltshire.

The project will explore individual and collective responses to the landscapes that surround us, considering changing notions of beauty in the modern world, and the development of attitudes towards ecology and sustainability through the two dimensional arts. 

The exhibition will also delve into notions of identity through connection to place, memory and nostalgia, exploring the dynamic realm of contemporary painting through the lens of artists who reimagine and experience the natural world through their practices. 

Observational art can be a lived experience - a way of inhabiting the world around us.

The curatorial approach will consider alternative perceptions of landscape through the eyes of artists who experience, observe, and appreciate it, demonstrating how understanding through observation can lead to the cultivation of different value systems, inviting the viewer to reconsider their own interactions with the environment.  

The selection process will be based on a range of criteria, relating largely to materials and working practices – aiming to represent a diverse range of approaches to painting – as well as subject matter.

The goal is to engage with conversations around landscape in the 21st century in a deeper context, with critical thinking exploring how landscape and our collective wellbeing mirror each other.

Above all, it considers the entwined nature of the relationship between humanity and the environment, celebrated through a medium which has reflected and helped define our perceptions for centuries. 

The exhibition presents an opportunity for artists to exhibit in a Cork Street and/or regional gallery space alongside and with the full support of a commercial gallery.

The gallery will include each artist in the digital and online marketing and social media and host an exhibition preview for both events. 

Messums Org was founded in 2016 by Johnny Messums as a platform to provide a circular relationship between art and social engagement and is a collaborative space for artists, collectors and thinkers.

Started in Wiltshire in a 13th Century tithe barn, the business now has established venues and art communities in the West and East of England.

These locations are connected to an exhibiting venue in London, evolving the role of the gallery from presentational space to one that offers access, support and knowledge to the creative languages. 

Criteria:  

Artists are invited to submit any works created within the last 5 years. 

Preference may be given to mindfulness of materials in relation to outcome.  

A section will focus on mark making that uses non extracted materials.  

Works cannot be bigger than 1.8m on any side.  A median size is recommended.  

Up to 5 works can be submitted but not all may be selected. 

Artists are asked to submit a CV, exhibition experience, artist statement, materials statement and images. 

The gallery will charge 35% commission and 5% to Messums Creative - a separate not for profit enterprise assisting access to the arts.  

Artists must be working within the field of painting in 2 dimensions.

Artists must be able to deliver or courier works to and from the gallery.

Notes:

Works for the exhibitions may be selected for either London or Wiltshire, or in some cases for both venues.

This decision will align with the curatorial approach and the way the individual artists works within the collective selection.

If you work is not chosen it is no way a comment on your artistic practice and we would encourage you to continue to engage in our call outs. Unfortunately due to the nature of the call out and the popularity of these exhibitions, we are unable to provide feedback on your submissions. 

Schedule:

1 September - Submissions Open 

14 September - Submissions Close

29 September - Artists Announced

30 September - Artist Information sent

6 October - Artist to submit work details, images and exhibition agreement

14 November - First round of works delivered to London gallery

18 November - Private View London

5/6 January - Unsold works to be collected by artists

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12/13 January - Second Round of works delivered to Wiltshire gallery

17 January - Private View Wiltshire

12/13 March - Unsold works to be collected by artists