Mally Mallinson, Stephanie Rushton and David Bethell were commissioned by the National Trust and OutSide Arts to create Earthly Delights-a site specific installation at Ilam Park, Staffordshire to mark 200 years of the Hall's construction and a hundred years of care by The national Trust. The commission is on display at llam Park from July 16th until September 8th 2026.
Special Thanks to all the staff at the National Trust Ilam, OutSide Projects and our volunteers Louise Hackett and Phil Rawle
Painting of Ilam Hall - Artist Unknown
Earthly Delights responds to Ilam’s evolving and layered history, bring together elements from architectural features, nature, and the changing landscape. The viewer is presented with two domes, one lush, the other reclaimed and more grotesque to its counter part. The see through dome is more styled around the a victorian glasshouse referencing the historic conservatories and glasshouses that once stood in the main hall and in the wall gardens. The walled garden once stood more than twice the size of Ilam Hall itself. Inside its walls were glasshouses, orangeries and fern houses filled with exotic plants, fruits and flowers from around the world. The geodesic dome houses the kind of plants you would have seen in the Ilam greenhouses almost 200 years ago.
The Title of the work ‘Earthly Delights’ is lifted directly from Hieronymus Bosch's iconic Garden of Earthly Delights. This is echoed through the focal point in the victorian styled dome in the form a Bosch assembled fountain. The fountain also nods towards some of Ilams folklore involving St Bertram. After a life-changing encounter described in the legend, Bertram chose to leave behind his royal life and become a hermit, living simply and devoting himself to prayer. He wasn’t the only to reside and become inside by the nature here…
The other dome looks more natural, the focal point here is a skip that as acts as a giant planter to a birch tree. The birch tree captures the eye much like a flag, taking ownership of it’s own territory. It’s a symbol for rebirth, reincarnation. Its bedded it self with found stone, that once formed the fabricate of the building possibly from on of the old balconies. The stone work is been reused and is once again visible to the public. There is classic themes running through the work from birth, life, death and reincarnation. The work is rich is its layered history and its is between the classic themes and the modern world.
There is a relationship between the two domes further brings into question the on going relationship between man and nature.
Putting the finishing touches on the Install!
Video Of install the Geo Dome
Video of around the two domes