Metal ‘tables’ teeter precariously, stacked to the sky like giant Jenga pieces in Phyllida Barlow’s sculpture ‘jinx.’ It’s one of seven monumental pieces from her final series, ‘Prank’, on show this summer at Hauser & Wirth Somerset as part of a sweeping retrospective of the late artist’s work.

Unscripted is the first exhibition of Barlow’s works since she died last year at the age of 78 and marks the 10th anniversary of Hauser & Wirth Somerset, inaugurated by Barlow’s solo exhibition GIG. The survey is curated by former Tate Modern director Frances Morris and Barlow’s studio staff and brings together works and installations from four decades of her career.

‘Prank’ is a series of sculptures that Barlow made in 2023 for a park in New York, which ultimately ended up being her final work. The seven sculptures mimic domestic objects—tables, sofas and chairs, all frequent recurring motifs in her work—and are fabricated from rusty sheet metal and fibreglass as a series of ‘improbable structures’ that appear precarious and awkward as though they could tumble at any second, imbuing them with energy and a adventure.

Amid the forms, marshmallowy ‘rabbit ears’ peek out from corners and atop the structures as though caught partaking in some sort of daring antic or stunt. Barlow first introduced these ‘rule-breaking’ irregular white forms in 1994, and in many ways, they embody her anarchistic sculptural tendencies, rallying against balance, symmetry, and proportion in favour of humour and exuberance.

Barlow was known for her use of everyday found and reclaimed materials, ranging from old television sets and salvaged wood scraps to cardboard, plaster, and metal. She excelled in using ordinary materials to produce extraordinary works at remarkable scales.

‘Over the last ten years, Phyllida Barlow kept her fans and followers on the edge of their seats as she brought new and ever more audacious projects to life in venues across the world,’ says Morris. ‘Unfolding as a running commentary on the tragedies and absurdities of our time, each work formed part of an ongoing and intensely experimental investigation into the techniques and materials of art making, seeking visual equivalents to her own personal experience of living and looking.’

Also on show is Barlow’s 2017 Venice Biennale presentation, ‘folly’, which features boulders and rock formations made from sinewy fabric and a series of paintings—the first and only ones Barlow ever produced.

It’s said Barlow saw herself as a painter, and these abstract miniature works offer a snapshot of her boundless curiosity and reaffirm her dedication to the studio.

Phyllida Barlow: Unscripted at Hauser & Wirth Somerset is on show through 5 January 2025.

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