Inner Landscape exhibition set to open at Pilton Tithe Barn

Inner Landscape, by Somerset-born artists Lilith and Luke Piper, will run from Thursday, June 18, to Wednesday, June 24, at Pilton Tithe Barn, located on the Glastonbury Festival site.

The immersive exhibition features painting, installation, and sound in a setting filled with history and symbolism.

The artists' work explores generational landscape painting and a deep connection with place, merging external scenery with internal perception through memory, imagination, and artistic heritage.

At the heart of the exhibition is a monumental oak tree sculpture, originally created for one of the Pipers' stages at Glastonbury Festival.

Lilith Piper said: "As a fourth generation artist, I am constantly challenged to look again, my voice is my own.

"But there is something in the land that calls us back.

"It is in my bones."

She reflected on how her artistic perspective was shaped by family influences, from her grandfather’s photography of ancient stones and sites, to her father’s geological interests and sense of travel, and her grandmother’s work with clay and gardening.

Ms Piper said: "The landscape carries memory, but painting is where I step out of inheritance and into an authentic personal voice, a way of listening, a way of dreaming with open eyes."

Luke Piper, who views painting as a bridge between inner and outer worlds, spoke about the personal yet universal resonance of the work on display.

He said: "These paintings are personal but also reassuring.

"They express the feeling of being inside the landscape looking out and at the same time inside ourselves.

"The place we see in the mind’s eye can mirror our own being.

"It is a shared experience that connects us to something larger, offering hope and understanding."

He shared memories of his grandfather, John Piper, who was known for his outdoor work and interest in ancient churches, ruins, and sacred sites.

Mr Piper said: "It was romantic, but he was always seeking new ways of seeing the old world."

He also drew connections between different members of the family across generations.

He said: "I’m also influenced by my grandmother Myfanwy Evans, who was a writer and librettist, and I see a lot of what my daughter Lilith does in my memories of her too."

He described the land itself as ‘universal, from the infeasibly small to the impossibly large, belonging to all life and all people’.

Pilton Tithe Barn, which dates back to the 14th century and was restored by Sir Michael Eavis in 2005, once lay in ruins after being struck by lightning.

Now a space of renewal and gathering, it forms a fitting backdrop for an exhibition so deeply connected to themes of memory, land, and belonging.

Inner Landscape will be open daily from 11am to 6pm.

A special opening evening will take place on Thursday, June 18 from 4pm to 10pm, featuring live music and sound installations.

A Solstice celebration will follow on Saturday, June 20, running from 11am to 11pm and offering a day-long programme of art and music.

Tree Sonics, a collective of musicians, will contribute live performance and sound works throughout the event.