Created in 1957 by former Tate Gallery assistant Jim Ede and his wife Helen, Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge is an open space for the public to enjoy contemporary art in an informal, domestic setting. A spatial audio component was required for a new exhibition by Lubaina Himid and Magda Stawarska, and the artists commissioned integrator ArtAV to assist in creating an environment that worked with the space rather than against it, with the installation of four specially customised Genelec 4420 monitors.
Credit: Magda Stawarska and Lubaina Himid, Slightly Bitter, 2025, Mixed media. Installation at Kettles Yard, Cambridge.
Photo: Jo Underhill
The house at Kettle’s Yard still displays a permanent collection of artworks and was extended in 1970 with an additional gallery which hosts a varied programme of modern and contemporary exhibitions. Between 12 July and 2 November 2025, a series of works by Himid and Stawarska straddled both spaces, with the artists’ "Slightly Bitter" installation carving out its own space in gallery two.
Taking inspiration from written correspondence between Polish writer Sophie Gaudier-Brzeska and English artist Nina Hamnett in the early 20th century, the multimedia presentation includes excerpts from these letters in a sound piece recorded by both artists, accompanying text on the artworks to create a sense of eavesdropping on conversations between both Hamnett and Brzeska, as well as between Himid and Stawarska.
With no pre-existing audio infrastructure in the gallery and a desire to create the most immersive experience for visitors, ArtAV’s mission was to design an environment sympathetic to the needs of both the house and the artwork. As the latest project in a longstanding relationship, it is not the first time the company has breathed sonic resonance into Himid and Stawarska’s work.
“The primary purpose of the audio system was to provide a high-quality, four-channel spatial audio experience to complement the visual artwork,” says ArtAV sound technician Kyle Partridge. “Having worked with both artists on previous exhibitions, we already had a deep understanding of their specific AV requirements, from system design through to pre-production and installation. It allows us to design a bespoke approach for each project and ensure that any design is perfectly tailored to the unique artistic goals of the exhibition.”
In order to meet those artistic goals at Kettle’s Yard, ArtAV had a variety of challenges to overcome. The lack of any existing facilities meant that the installation had to be designed from scratch to achieve the levels of intimacy required for the exhibit, while simultaneously maintaining the gallery's minimalist aesthetic and facilitating re-installation for future exhibitions. In addition, reflections from the gallery’s hard, untreated walls required considerable acoustic control, and the artists also needed to be able to adjust the audio in situ once the system was in place.
Working with Audiologic, ArtAV sourced four custom-coloured Genelec 4420 compact monitors, taking advantage of its PoE connectivity to minimise cable runs and preserve the gallery’s clean lines, as well as the company’s customisable range of 120 RAL colours.