February’s exhibition features the work of Mary Barnes. Curated by Prof Victoria Tischler of Surrey University, the exhibition showcases Mary’s deep connection to nature and spirituality.

Mary Barnes (1923-2001) lived at Kingsley Hall from 1965-1970; a radical experiment in anti-psychiatry led by the Glaswegian psychiatrist Dr R D Laing. There, Barnes was encouraged to regress to a child-like state to ‘live through’ her psychosis and recover from mental illness.

Encouraged by clinician Dr Joe Berke, Barnes became a prolific artist, primarily using her fingers to apply paint to canvas, wallpaper backing paper, and found objects. Barnes lived in Scotland from 1985 until the end of her life, including a period on Falkland Estate. This was an important time in her life – her funeral took place in the Chapel Royal in 2001 and she is buried in Falkland’s cemetery. 

This exhibition is free. There is also a free event in the Chapel Royal on Friday 9th February celebrating Mary’s centenary (postponed from October 2023 de to bad weather) Tickets are available here