White Chapel Somerset
our place for sharing art and ideas
Announcing a New Live Project
at White Chapel Somerset
Bacon, Halé, Giacometti: Behind the Mirror
May 10-31 2025
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Portraits that go beneath the surface—this project explores how contemporary artist Pierre Halé’s paintings draw inspiration from modernist masters Francis Bacon and Alberto Giacometti to create psychologically intense, expressive portraits.
A curated collection of original paintings by Halé will be shown alongside rare lithographs by Bacon and Giacometti, offering a compelling dialogue between past and present.
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This special project includes a weekend of events celebrating Somerset Day and The Langport Art Trail, plus a special curator-led discussion:
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Saturday 10 May – A talk with writer and Women’s Prize finalist Lulu Allison, exploring the role of painting and writing in shaping character, set against the backdrop of the exhibition.
Register Now
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Sunday 11 May 12-6 – An artist-in-residence session with Pierre Halé, where visitors can observe his working process and engage in conversation about his practice and influences.
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Sunday 21 May, 4–6 PM – Celebratory Sunday View – Join the artist, writer, and friends for a special viewing and discussion about the project, led by curator Miranda Glover, founder of White Chapel Somerset.
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The project is open for viewing by appointment May 12-31 2025
Contact us to arrange a visit -
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White Chapel Talks are highly popular—early booking is recommended.
About Pierre Halé
French-born Pierre Halé lives and works in Dorset alongside his partner, artist and writer Lulu Allison. He studied Fine Art at Saint Martins School of Art in the early 1980s. His oil paintings fuse classical and modern techniques, creating works rich in psychological depth and expressive intensity.
Francis Bacon (1909–1992)
A British painter known for his raw, visceral portraits and distorted figures, Bacon’s work explores themes of existentialism, violence, and the fragility of the human form. His paintings are emotionally charged, exposing the tensions beneath the surface of his subjects.
Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966)
A Swiss sculptor and painter, Giacometti is celebrated for his elongated, skeletal figures that evoke solitude and psychological intensity. His work captures the fragility of existence and the tension between presence and absence.
About Lulu Allison
Born in the Chilterns, Lulu Allison also studied at Saint Martins. She has lived in Amsterdam, Fiji, New Zealand, and Brighton before settling in Dorset. Her second novel, Salt Lick, was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2022. Her forthcoming novel, Beast, inspired by Thomas Mann’s Doctor Faustus, will be published by Blue Moose Books in 2025.
About Modern Originals
The selected works for this project are curated by Miranda Glover, founder, White Chapel Somerset. The collection is dedicated to sourcing and promoting original prints and artworks by 20th-century modernist masters, Modern-Originals makes rare and historically significant works accessible to contemporary audiences.