A new exhibition titled Radical Modernity: From Bloomsbury to Charleston will open at Sotheby’s in London from November 9th to 26th, curated by Kim Jones, the artistic director of Fendi and Dior Homme. As a devoted collector of Bloomsbury Group works, Jones brings together an array of pieces that capture the radical spirit of this influential intellectual circle. The exhibition features a mix of loans from Charleston, the former home of Bloomsbury artists Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell, as well as works from Sotheby’s Modern British & Irish Art auction on November 14.
The show highlights the Bloomsbury Group’s lasting impact on modern culture, exploring how they challenged the conventions of early 20th-century Britain. Among the featured artists are Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, and Roger Fry, along with writers like Virginia Woolf, who played a key role in the group. One of the standout pieces is Bell’s painting The Party (1920), a rare depiction of a glamorous social gathering, which was originally gifted to Woolf by her sister. It has remained in private hands for decades and is now being offered for sale, sparking speculation about its influence on Woolf’s famous novel Mrs. Dalloway.
In addition to Bell’s work, the exhibition includes a silk robe designed by Percy Wyndham Lewis, known for his role in the Vorticist movement. The robe, created during Lewis’s brief tenure at the Omega Workshops, represents the Bloomsbury Group’s influence on both fine art and design. A log box painted by Duncan Grant, on loan from Charleston, further illustrates how the group infused everyday objects with creativity and charm.
Kim Jones, newly appointed vice president of Charleston, hopes the exhibition will inspire visitors to connect with the Bloomsbury Group’s progressive ideas. He explained that their work continues to resonate because it challenges the rigid norms of their time, much like the creative boundaries Jones himself seeks to push. Through Radical Modernity, Jones invites the public to experience the art that has shaped his personal collection and gain a deeper understanding of the Bloomsbury Group’s enduring legacy.
Photography by LEE ROBBINS
