Joyful Noise: Phyllida Barlow – rethinking sculpture - Salisbury Cathedral

Joyful Noise: Phyllida Barlow – rethinking sculpture

Wed 16 Sep 2026 7:30 pm - 8:45 pm

Join us for an evening conversation exploring the life, work and enduring influence of one of Britain’s most distinctive sculptors, Phyllida Barlow.

Art historian and author Jo Baring will lead a discussion on Barlow’s approach to materials, scale and form. Joined by artist and Barlow’s husband Fabian Peake, alongside artist Olivia Bex, a former student of Barlow, the panel will reflect on Barlow’s impact on Contemporary Art, her teaching, and the continued relevance of her practice, within a broader discussion of the history of sculpture.

untitled: megaphone is installed on Choristers Green for the Joyful Noise Art Exhibition, kindly on loan from Hauser & Wirth.

Jo Baring will be signing her new book ‘Totem: The Untold Story of Sculpture’ after the event, in collaboration with Waterstones Salisbury.


Phyllida Barlow


Phyllida Barlow, Haus der Kunst, 2021

Phyllida Barlow (1944-2023, United Kingdom) was a British sculptor whose ground-breaking large-scale works redefined the medium through their inventive forms and construction from industrial materials. After studying at the Chelsea School of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art in London, Barlow spent four decades teaching. Stretching the limits of mass, volume and height, her works block, straddle, dangle and balance precariously. In 2011, Barlow became a Royal Academician. In 2017, she represented Great Britain at the Venice Biennale.


This event is organised by Salisbury Cathedral.

Tickets are available online or through the Cathedral Box Office, open Monday–Friday 10am–4pm.

For visitors with access requirements, or if you require an essential companion to accompany you, please contact the Cathedral Box Office to book your tickets.

Email: Boxoffice@salcath.co.uk. Tel: 01722 656 555.

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