Liz West’s solo exhibition H.A.P.P.Y casts the Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate into a luminous realm of light, reflection and saturated colour. This captivating show delivers a multisensory journey through West’s exploration of chromatic intensity and emotional resonance. Every installation invites the audience into a space of playful perception, where light and hue transform ordinary experience into the extraordinary.
The exhibition’s title responds directly to West’s personal experience with Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.), a condition known to affect mood and energy during the darker months. Drawing from this, the artist designed H.A.P.P.Y as an antidote – an ode to spring and summer, seasons that bring her a sense of balance and joy. Speaking about the space, West describes the exhibition as “kaleidoscopic and dynamic,” an immersive environment designed to evoke warmth, curiosity and emotional uplift.
Born in 1985, Liz West has emerged as a leading voice in contemporary British art. Her multidisciplinary practice spans installation, sculpture and experiential environments that investigate the interplay between light, space and colour. Career highlights include exhibitions at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the British Council in New Delhi, Farol Santander in São Paulo, and the Musée Nissim de Camondo in Paris. A finalist for the Aesthetica Art Prize in 2016, she has also completed high-profile commissions for institutions such as the Natural History Museum, Milan Design Week and Dubai Design Week. These accolades mark her as one of the UK’s foremost artists working at the intersection of sensory perception and public space.
A central work in H.A.P.P.Y, Our Colour Reflection, exemplifies West’s ability to transform architecture through reflection. This floor-based installation, composed of 765 multicoloured mirrored discs, floods the gallery’s Spa Promenade Room with waves of colour. Removal of longstanding window coverings allows daylight into the space for the first time in decades. The result is a constantly changing canvas where light dances across surfaces, immersing visitors in an environment that feels both intimate and expansive.
The artist’s practice engages deeply with colour theory. Her understanding of chromatic interaction draws on both instinct and intellect, echoing the studies of Josef Albers and the immersive philosophies of James Turrell. Light serves as more than illumination – it becomes a means of communication, translating abstract concepts into immediate emotional encounters. In this way, West continues the legacy of artists like Goethe and Kandinsky, who understood colour as a powerful emotional language.
Artists such as Dan Flavin, Olafur Eliasson and Ann Veronica Janssens have explored similar terrain – working with light as a medium for altering space and perception. West brings a distinctively joyous and interactive quality to this lineage. Her work speaks to a human desire for beauty and connection. Cherie Federico, Director of the Aesthetica Art Prize, says: “Liz West’s installations reach deep into our emotional registers. Her contribution to contemporary art is vital and deeply felt. We are thrilled to include her in the 2025 Future Tense section of the Aesthetica Art Prize, which celebrates bold, visionary voices.”
A new series of works on paper also debuts in the Mercer exhibition. These include three-dimensional “concertina” pieces and experimental colour studies that offer a glimpse into West’s creative process. Alongside these, objects selected from Harrogate’s museum collections provide historical and cultural context, prompting reflection on humanity’s longstanding relationship with light and hue.
Sound artist Cherry Seraph enhances the multisensory experience with an original composition commissioned for the show. The Leeds-based musician, known for her ethereal alt-pop sound, finds a synergy between colour and sound. Her piece interprets the emotional frequencies of West’s work through audio. “There is a meaningful and intimate interplay between the frequencies of colour and sound,” she explains. “My piece seeks to capture what it is to feel, to experience happiness through Liz’s world.”
Exhibitions at the Mercer Art Gallery often feature nationally and internationally significant artists, and H.A.P.P.Y continues that tradition. The gallery’s commitment to exceptional curatorial programming ensures that visitors encounter thought-provoking work. As curator Karen Southworth puts it, “Liz’s work encourages us to become aware of our surroundings in new ways. It leads us to tune into our own emotional responses, memories, and experiences – each person will have a unique and personal reaction.”
Moments of reflection, both literal and metaphorical, define the experience of H.A.P.P.Y. Through mirrors, colour and light, West’s installations stir emotional memory and inspire awe. The exhibition becomes more than a visual delight – it is a space for healing, exploration and personal transformation. In the hands of Liz West, light does more than illuminate a gallery; it reveals new ways of seeing and feeling.
H.A.P.P.Y is at Mercer Gallery, Harrogate until 5 October.
Words: Anna Müller
Image credits:
2. Liz West, H.A.P.P.Y, Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate, 2025.
3. Liz West, H.A.P.P.Y, Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate, 2025.
3. Liz West, H.A.P.P.Y, Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate, 2025.
4. Ever Flowing Reflection. Site-Specific Installation (acrylic mirror, aluminium, stainless steel, galvanised steel) 450cm (H) x 240xm (W) x 200cm (L) 2024. Photography © Tom Bird.
