Recollection
Selected works from the home of Jeremy Cooper
Gallery 1

Recollection showcases works from the collection of writer and art historian Jeremy Cooper, offering his unique perspective on the art of collecting. The exhibition examines the essence of collecting, challenges traditional motivations, and focuses on the personal relationship between collector and artist. It encourages us to reflect on why we collect, what we choose to keep — individually and collectively — and how these choices shape our worlds.

Cooper’s collection differs from the traditional perception of collecting, in which artworks are acquired through galleries or dealers for significant sums of money. Instead, the works on view reflect both Cooper’s tireless, methodical approach to unearthing treasures and the lifelong friendships he has developed in the process. His home, nestled beneath the Quantock Hills in Somerset, is a living gallery filled with works by friends and well-known artists — such as Gavin Turk, Tracey Emin, and Gilbert & George — acquired during moments of shared creativity, conversation, and gratitude. Here, the collection serves as a map of stories — an archive of friendships and appreciation that transcends the usual barriers of the “art world.”

Rejecting the exclusivity and inaccessibility of an art world that seeks to govern taste and value, Cooper offers an alternative narrative — one that presents collecting as deeply personal, accessible, and joyful, whether one is collecting a humble postcard or an artwork by a famous artist. This view is exemplified in Cooper’s collection of artists’ cards, a medium that combines attainability and individuality. The selection of artists’ cards in the exhibition, including some by renowned figures, challenges the commercialisation of art by questioning how we assign value. For Cooper, the postcard is a radical, democratic art form — affordable and available to everyone — reflecting his belief that great art need not be confined to established institutions or high price tags. He invites visitors to see art through a personal, human lens — one that values memories, interest, and joy above all.

The exhibition also highlights the intimacy of collecting and enjoying art of any kind. When not displayed in the gallery, these pieces typically adorn the walls of Cooper’s living room, bedrooms, and even bathroom, forming part of his daily life. Among them are Tracey Emin’s heartfelt portrait of Jeremy — a gift that underscores the warmth of their relationship — and Gavin Turk’s playful balloon, created for his son Curtis before being given to Cooper. These works, along with countless others, speak not only to artistic creativity but also to moments of shared connection, close friendships, and the interplay of memory and loss.

This exhibition represents an opportunity to experience this remarkable collection before Cooper generously donates much of it to notable institutions around the world. By doing so, he ensures that these stories and connections will continue to inspire future audiences.
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About Jeremy Cooper
Jeremy Cooper is a writer, art historian, and antiques specialist. He has published seven novels, including the award-winning Ash Before Oak, which earned him the 2018 Fitzcarraldo Editions Novel Prize and most recently, the critically acclaimed, Brian. He has a wealth of experience in the art market, having served as a Sotheby’s auctioneer, operated his own business as a specialist antiques dealer, and appeared as an expert on the first 24 episodes of BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. Many of the
works he has collected are now held in national and international institutions, including the British Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
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Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Jeremy Cooper
George Harwood Smith, Curator
Millie Laing-Tate, Assistant Curator
Jon England, Exhibition Technician
Miriam Higgs, exhibition support
KarTent, display unit fabricator
Charlotte Mann, exhibition support
PEARCE+, exhibition display design
Jessica Prendergrast, accompanying essay
Juliet Ramsden, publication design
Rupert de Renzy-Martin, AV Technician
Jesse Roth, exhibition filmmaker, Matchstick Films

Header image: 
- Anwyl Cooper-Willis, The Toast Card, 2011
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Image selection:
- Gary Hume and Angela Bulloch, Contemporary Art in a Can, 1997
- Richard Long, A Hundred Tors in a Hundred Hours. A walk on Dartmoor, 1976/1977
- Paul Westcombe, I’ll follow you through the peephole and My breath with drew, my head rolled for a moment, 2009
- Tracey Emin,This is my friend Geremy, 1997
- Gavin Turk, FWTD 94 Balloon, 1994
- Anwyl Cooper-Willis, The Toast Card, 2011
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Image credit: Glyn Jarrett