One of Britain’s most progressive farm-to-table restaurants – Osip, in Bruton, Somerset – is putting art on the menu this autumn, unveiling an artist-in-residence series that celebrates craftsmanship and material intelligence.
Founder and chef Merlin Labron-Johnson – whom we interviewed recently for our Work in Process video series – knows a thing or two about craft. Embracing a philosophy of ‘cooking only with what grows locally’, his Michelin-starred restaurant is a haven of good taste and exquisite detail. And now, it serves as a stage for artists and makers to showcase their creative sensibilities.
‘A Gathering’ at Osip
Stoneware jugs, various glazes by Nicola Tassie
(Image credit: Courtesy of Osip)
Titled ‘A Gathering’, the exhibition is curated in collaboration with Jacqueline Moore (former director of craft-focused Make Hauser & Wirth Somerset) and runs until 1 March 2026. It brings together ceramic works by Ken Eastman, Florian Gadsby, Sue Paraskeva, Nicola Tassie and Derek Wilson, alongside wood sculptures by Mark Reddy and black-and-white photography by Jonty Sale. Each piece explores the tactile and the elemental, echoing the restaurant’s seasonal rhythm and connection to landscape.
Jonty Sales’ black and white photographs explore the haphazardness of thickets, briars, brambles and thorns in the local landscape
(Image credit: Courtesy of Osip)
‘In the same way that a chef uses their ingredients, the maker uses the natural resources around them to create something new, distinct and evocative,’ says Labron-Johnson. Across Osip’s soft, earth-toned interior – its curved walls, exposed beams and terracotta floor – the works find natural resting points: mounted on walls, nestled in alcoves, perched on ledges and sills. Together, they extend the restaurant’s language of warmth, precision and restraint.
Mark Reddy reframes the utilitarian spoon into complex, hand-carved totems
(Image credit: Courtesy of Osip)
‘The intimacy of the dining experience, and the subtle quality of light, create a place of warmth and hospitality; an extension of the home,’ adds Moore. ‘In “A Gathering”, the familiar and domestic, the natural and organic, merge into recognisable or abstract forms, asking questions and provoking curiosity.’ All artworks are available for purchase, with a programme of events and talks at Osip set to unfold over the coming months.
Large wall assemblage, stoneware by Derek Wilson
(Image credit: Courtesy of Osip)
Osip is located at 25 Kingsettle Hill, Hardway, Bruton BA10 0LN, United Kingdom.
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