The Serpentine Galleries – both North and South – rarely put on exhibitions that are anything but adventurous. Such is the case for the latest at Serpentine South, which can be viewed until 10 January 2027. The exhibition showcases creations by Justin Caguiat, who was born in Tokyo in 1989. He is known for his inter-disciplinary works which explore the connections between architecture, spirituality, and everyday rituals.

The exhibition is called “Change Ringing”. The name refers to the commonly employed English method of ringing church bells, which, as is explained in a Wikipedia article, is:

“… the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a tightly controlled manner to produce precise variations in their successive striking sequences, known as ‘changes’ …  This creates a form of bell music which cannot be discerned as a conventional melody, but is a series of mathematical sequences.”

Caguiat’s exhibition incorporates painting, sculpture, printmaking, sound and film. The sounds are produced by a collection of bells and loudspeakers positioned throughout the gallery. The bells are struck by electrically operated mechanisms. They do not ring randomly, but are programmed to sound according to a score composed by Lily Pickett. As one views the show, you can hear a sequence of sounds produced by the bells.

Apart from the bells and the sounds theyb produce, there are some attractive, abstract, colored canvases to be enjoyed. Some of them have been mounted on wooden frameworks behind which the brickwork of the gallery has been exposed by removing its plaster covering. There are also some sculptures. Some of these incorporate bells, which form part of the sound creating ensemble.

In the central room of the gallery, there are several circular discs. These are made of copper and coated with special paints, which, as the Serpentine’s website (https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/whats-on/justin-caguiat-change-ringing/ ) explained, are:

“ … a new series of thermochromic paintings that continuously change in response to heat and light. As temperatures fluctuate, layers of heat-sensitive pigment reveal and conceal different forms, creating works that remain in a constant state of transformation.”

During the brief time we saw them, we did not notice any transformations, as described.

I enjoyed viewing “Change Ringing” because it was not only aurally and visually satisfying, but also innovative in an engaging way.