Living Water
A new contemporary art exhibition exploring water as symbol, force, and memory
This summer, experience Living Water, a profoundly contemplative art exhibition set against the stunning backdrop of Salisbury Cathedral.
Living Water brings together artists who explore water as a symbol and an influence that shapes our world. The power of the sea is echoed in Lubaina Himid’s art, which traces the hidden histories of colonial trade routes and suppressed Black narratives. Phoebe Boswell’s Dwelling highlights water as both a space of safety and exclusion. At the same time, Kate McMillan’s film Never at Sea captures a group of young women, highlighting stories of those who have been uprooted and forced to travel over water, and Ryan Mosley’s paintings turn boats into communal stages where human interaction unfolds.
Joy Hillyer’s paintings capture the movement of water across nearby water meadows of the Ebble, balancing human intervention with natural cycles. This sense of flow is also featured in Ro Robertson’s Alcove sculpture, which reflects the ever–changing meeting points of land and sea, as well as spaces of transition and transformation. At the heart of the Cathedral, William Pye’s sculptural baptismal font transforms water into a reflective surface, inviting wonder and contemplation.
Together, these works ask us to consider our natural connection to water and how we can best protect this life-giving force for future generations.
Booking details
Included for free with an admission ticket to Salisbury Cathedral.
This exhibition is open during visiting hours, please click here to check for closures before you visit.
You can order an art catalogue, which has stunning photographs of each artwork and more information about the work and artists. The catalogue is available for £3 online when you book your visiting tickets or £5 at the welcome desk.
Curator’s Tours
Available to book along with your admission ticket, our exhibition Curator will lead you around the whole exhibition, giving insights into the artworks and the artists who made them. The tour includes a free copy of the Living Water exhibition catalogue.
Living Water Service
Sunday 7 September 2025, 4:30pm
Incorporating some of the paintings and installations from the current art exhibition in the Cathedral, this reflective service will include a series of short meditations by the Cathedral clergy on themes arising from the exhibition, along with water-themed prayers, hymns and chants. All are welcome.
Image: Ryan Mosley, A Ballad for Water, 2025
Oil on canvas
Courtesy of the artist and Josh Lilley, London.
Photo by Jules Lister
Phoebe Boswell’s work is shown courtesy of the artist and Ben Hunter Gallery. Sound work by Gregg August.
Joy Hillyer’s work is shown courtesy of the artist.
Lubaina Himid’s work is shown courtesy of Hollybush Gardens, London and
Greene Naftali, New York.
Kate McMillan’s work is shown courtesy of the artist.
Ryan Mosley’s work is shown courtesy of the artist and Josh Lilley, London.
Ro Robertson’s work is shown courtesy of the artist and Maximillian William, London.
Living Water is kindly supported by the Henry Moore Foundation, the Arts Society Sarum, and using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. We are grateful to our Art Champions Trevor and Susan Branch.
