LONDON.- As London’s art world braces for another edition of Frieze Week, one Mayfair gallery is charting a bold new course. In an era defined by closures and cutbacks, Bowman Sculpture has done the opposite by reinvesting in its physical space, its artists, and its community. Under the leadership of its dynamic young director Mica Bowman, the gallery unveils a newly renovated home in St James’s with the solo exhibition Metamorfosi by acclaimed Italian sculptor Massimiliano Pelletti.

The reopening marks both a renewal of the gallery’s commitment to sculpture and a declaration of faith in the vitality of in-person art experiences. “We wanted to create a gallery that truly reflects our values - open, welcoming, and focused on the sculpture itself,” says Mica Bowman. “This redesign was very personal, conceived and shaped in-house by our team. Like everything we do at Bowman, it’s driven by passion and care.”



A Gallery Reborn

The £200,000 refurbishment signals a striking reinvestment at a time when many commercial galleries are retrenching. In recent months, London has witnessed a wave of high-profile closures, prompting widespread debate about the future of physical galleries. Bowman Sculpture’s transformation offers a confident counterpoint: a belief that sculpture, with its demands for scale, texture, and presence, must be encountered in person.

Mica Bowman personally oversaw every aspect of the redesign, choosing to work directly with builders rather than outsource to an external design firm. The result is a clean, contemporary space that balances refinement with accessibility. Administrative functions have been relocated to the lower level, allowing the main gallery to open into a single, expansive exhibition space. The interiors feature polished concrete, natural stone, and a warm, neutral palette, offering a minimalist stage that lets the sculpture speak for itself.

More than an aesthetic overhaul, the redesign reimagines how visitors move through the space. The flow between rooms has been improved, accessibility enhanced, and natural light carefully modulated to highlight surface and form. Bowman describes the project as “an invitation to linger”, resulting in a space designed not for exclusivity, but for engagement.



Launching with ‘Metamorfosi’

Fittingly, the gallery’s rebirth coincides with an exhibition devoted to transformation. Metamorfosi, the latest body of work by Massimiliano Pelletti, explores the enduring dialogue between antiquity and modernity. Born in Pietrasanta in 1975, Pelletti first gained international attention when he won the Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean in 2006, followed by his participation in the 54th Venice Biennale. His practice, rooted in the classical tradition of marble carving, reinterprets ancient forms through contemporary materials, by substituting flawless white marble for richly veined stone, onyx, or volcanic rock that bears the marks of time.

Pelletti’s works possess a paradoxical quality: at once eternal and ephemeral, classical yet disrupted. The imperfections of the stone, the fractures, inclusions, and colorations, are not hidden but embraced, transforming the figure into something alive and mutable.

In Metamorfosi, the artist extends this dialogue between beauty and decay, permanence and change. Figures inspired by Greco-Roman statuary appear as if unearthed from the future: fractured yet whole, serene yet dynamic.

The exhibition follows the success of Pelletti’s sell-out debut with Bowman Sculpture in 2023 and his critically acclaimed solo show Versus at the Museo Nazionale Romano – Palazzo Massimo (2024–2025), where he became the youngest artist ever to exhibit in the institution’s storied halls. Metamorfosi thus represents both a continuation and an evolution—a meditation on how history itself transforms in the hands of the living.



Reinvestment Over Retrenchment

In launching Metamorfosi as the inaugural exhibition in the renovated space, Bowman Sculpture underscores its belief in renewal through reinvestment. “So many galleries are closing or consolidating, but we felt the opposite impulse,” says Mica Bowman. “Now is the time to invest - to make art more accessible and to build a space that belongs to the next generation of collectors, artists, and visitors.”

That ethos of accessibility is reflected in the gallery’s programming as well as its design. Bowman Sculpture has become known for its lively, inclusive events – from artist-led discussions to live performances – that bring sculpture into dialogue with music, movement, and conversation. The aim is to demystify the art world, making sculpture approachable without diminishing its depth. “We want people to feel welcome the moment they step inside,” Bowman adds. “This is not just a gallery for collectors. It’s a space for anyone who loves art.”

The renovation thus becomes both a physical and philosophical statement. By transforming its St James’s home into a more open, contemporary venue, Bowman Sculpture challenges the traditional hierarchies of Mayfair’s art scene. Where other galleries maintain an aura of exclusivity, Bowman offers warmth and community, inviting visitors to experience sculpture as a living, evolving art form.



The Future of Sculpture in London

Bowman Sculpture’s reopening arrives at a pivotal moment. As debates continue over the sustainability of brick-and-mortar galleries, this reinvestment in physical space feels almost radical. Yet Bowman’s conviction is clear: sculpture, perhaps more than any other medium, depends on physical encounter. The heft of marble, the texture of bronze, the play of light on carved surface – these qualities resist digital translation. “You can’t feel the weight of history through a screen,” Bowman remarks. “You have to be there, standing in front of it.”

In reaffirming that principle, Bowman Sculpture not only reasserts its place within Mayfair’s artistic landscape but also signals a broader cultural commitment, to presence, to dialogue, and to the power of art experienced in real time.



Looking Ahead to Frieze Masters

Following the reopening and Metamorfosi, Bowman Sculpture will present “Echoes in Form: Sculpture Across Time”at Frieze Masters 2025, running 15–19 October in Regent’s Park. The presentation will span more than 150 years of sculptural practice, juxtaposing rare works by Edgar Degas with contemporary pieces by Emily Young and others. “Frieze Masters is the perfect platform to show how sculpture connects across centuries,” says Bowman. “From Degas to Young, these works demonstrate the continuity of movement, memory, and material that defines our gallery’s vision.”

A Metamorphosis of Its Own

Ultimately, the story of Metamorfosi mirrors that of Bowman Sculpture itself: transformation through continuity, renewal through tradition. In championing physical space at a time of virtual fatigue, and in giving a platform to artists like Pelletti who bridge the classical and the contemporary, the gallery affirms that change need not mean loss. Like the veined stones in Pelletti’s hands, Bowman Sculpture bears the marks of time—but within those lines lies a new form, ready to emerge.

Massimiliano Pelletti: Metamorfosi runs at Bowman Sculpture, St James’s, London, from 9 October to 7 November 2025.