Somerset House, now a home for artists, has a layered history—as a grand palace, a site of clandestine Catholic worship, and later, a centre for admiralty, government administration, and taxation. Still owned by the UK government, Somerset House has been independently run by a trust for over 25 years under a 125-year lease.
The artists have crafted four benches made from reclaimed Portland stone, sourced from the Admiralty Arch – the landmark which links Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace. Originally built as a naval residence and later used for government offices, the Admiralty Arch has now been leased for 125 years to be converted into a luxury hotel. In a similar near-fate, Somerset House’s New Wing, where the artists have their studio space, was nearly sold to a hotel chain some 15 years ago.
Positioned at the Lancaster Place entrance of Somerset House, the benches create a direct visual link between the two historic sites, reflecting their intertwined histories of power, control, and transformation. More than places of rest, they challenge the narratives embedded in the stone itself—its colonial past, its repurposing, and its permanence against the impermanence of history.
The work’s title references the end of Somerset House’s lease—a future milestone that will surpass the lifetimes of the artists, its residents, and its decision-makers. By inviting visitors to sit, dwell, and take up space without permission, 2125 asks: Who has the right to occupy? For how long? And under what terms?
Channel is Somerset House’s new curated online space for art, ideas and the artistic process.
