The Presence of Absence
“Your absence is a presence. Who knew an empty space could take up so much room.”
Four very different artists explore space, memory, loss and connection.
‘The Chair of Memories’ (pictured) by Emily Beaumont & Frances Bloomfield
Regency Townhouse
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September 22nd - October 4th, 2026
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13 Brunswick Square BN3 1EH
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Regency Townhouse ✳︎ September 22nd - October 4th, 2026 ✳︎ 13 Brunswick Square BN3 1EH ✳︎
It began with an empty chair…
…an empty chair that holds the narrative of those who once sat in it and the comfort or pain that represents; the idea that the absence of someone is as real and as meaningful as their presence.
At the heart of this exhibition are 4 vintage chairs, a collaboration between Frances Bloomfield and Emily Beaumont. The chairs will explore the concepts of memory; healing; secrets and retreat.
Jo Hathaway’s work on memory and reflection brings colour and light and the internal, abstract experience of the theme, while Nicholas Bowman’s photographs each tell their own story of time and motion, alongside additional work by Frances Bloomfield and Emily Beaumont.
“A chair replaces the presence of someone by holding their absence.””
“Influenced by Jean-Paul Sartre’s study on Being and Nothingness, we wanted to explore the concept that absence is a very real and substantial being.”
Who are the artists?
Emily Beaumont, artist, upholsterer
Frances Bloomfield, contemporary surrealist
Jo Hathaway, painter and collagist
Nicholas Bowman, photographer
Find out more about the artists…
“What we are trying to do is show how everyday objects can directly impact our lives, help us to navigate our future and consider the huge gaps that we all leave behind, no matter who or where we are.”
The venue
The Regency Townhouse is a rare example of an original historic townhouse and the perfect domestic setting for this exhibition. The building is a metaphor all its own, holding the lives, memories and palpable absences, the spirits of those who walked and sat and wandered to the sea before us; those lives that are now, and to come.
Plan your visit
The show will be open from 11am to 6pm every day between October 22nd and September 4th, 2026.
Alongside the show there will be a range of elements supporting it, including:
A private view, Thursday 24 September
A film screening, Saturday 26 September
A local wine tasting, Saturday 2nd October
A book of writing around the theme
'“we are carried. in bellies. in arms. in love. in hope. in caskets. in urns. in grief. in memories. our whole lives and into the next. we are carried.”
Sara RianFor more information…
For more information, news, updates and invitations to the private view and other events, or to get in touch with any of the artists, please complete the form.
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