Galleries September 2026

Press Release Joanne Coates Cornish Gold – Custodians of the Soil 12 September – 31 October 2026 Kestle Barton Manaccan Helston Cornwall TR12 6HU 01326 231 811 info@kestlebarton.co.uk www.kestlebarton.co.uk About the artist Joanne Coates is a British artist working across photography, film and installation. Raised in North Yorkshire and now based in the northeast of England, her practice explores rural life, labour, class and gender, drawing on her own experience of agricultural work and long-term engagement with farming communities. Working within a documentary tradition while embracing collaborative and socially engaged approaches, Coates examines the relationships between people, place and work, often focusing on those whose lives and labour are underrepresented within contemporary visual culture. Her projects combine careful observation with extended periods of research and participation, resulting in work that is both intimate and politically attentive. Coates has exhibited nationally and internationally, including private galleries, festivals and institutions across the UK and Europe. She has received numerous awards and commissions recognising her contribution to contemporary photography and her distinctive exploration of rural experience. www.joannecoates.co.uk About the venue Kestle Barton is an ancient Cornish farmstead situated above the Helford River. Following an award-winning conservation and conversion project the beautiful old farm buildings have new uses, one of the barns becoming an elegant gallery that opened in 2010. From early April to late October each year, the gallery, garden and wildflower meadow beyond, hosts a programme of three free exhibitions and a number of other events. Surrounding barns and the old farmhouse have been converted into stylish and comfortable holiday accommodation, all profits from which go towards funding the exhibition and event programme. Open 28 March – 31 October 2026: Tuesday – Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays, 10:30am – 5pm.