PCAI is glad to announce that Collection artist Sophia Al-Maria presents ‘2125,’ an outdoor commission developed with artist Lydia Ourahmane while in residence at Somerset House Studios in London, UK.
Installed at Somerset House’s Lancaster Place entrance, 2125 comprises four benches made from reclaimed Portland stone sourced from Admiralty Arch—a historic site that has shifted from naval residence to government offices, and now set to be transformed into a luxury hotel under a 125-year lease. The benches form a visual and conceptual link to Somerset House’s New Wing, which narrowly escaped a similar fate 15 years ago.
By repurposing stone steeped in colonial history and institutional power, the work invites reflection on ownership, transformation, and permanence. The title, referencing the end of Somerset House’s lease, gestures toward a future beyond the lifespans of its current residents and decision-makers. 2125 asks: Who gets to occupy space, and for how long?
In parallel to 2125, their G31 installation, The Pits, is presented throughout the run in G31, located inside the entrance to the building.
Somerset House has a layered history—as a grand palace, a site of clandestine Catholic worship, and later, a centre for admiralty, government administration, and taxation. Still owned by the UK government, it has been independently run by a trust for over 25 years under a 125-year lease, and is now home to over 60 artists.
The Pits: 25 Apr–31 Aug 2025
2125: From 25 April
Read more here.
Image credit: Sophia Al Maria, 2125, Outdoor Commission, Somerset House
Activity aligned with Goals 3, 4, 8,10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17
