Kayt Hughes
I’m a North West-based artist, arts producer, curator and educator. My work focuses on the sensory – informed by my synaesthesia – creating a unique understanding of sound, shape, texture, colour, and mass.
I’m a North West-based artist, arts producer, curator and educator. My work focuses on the sensory – informed by my synaesthesia – creating a unique understanding of sound, shape, texture, colour, and mass.
the art of living / the art of making
Abingdon Studios Project Space, Blackpool
In this exhibition, artist Kayt Hughes invites you into an intimate exploration of how we live, make, and inhabit space — inspired by the pioneering designer Charlotte Perriand’s idea of “the art of living”. Perriand believed that our dwellings should go beyond mere function, shaping environments that nurture harmony, freedom, and a deeper connection to our everyday lives.
Here, Hughes brings this philosophy into a contemporary dialogue, intertwining it with her unique sensory world as a synaesthete and late-diagnosed autistic woman. Through ceramics, sound, light, and design, Hughes crafts a multi-sensory environment that blurs the boundaries between studio and gallery, object and space, making and living.
At the heart of the show are ceramic objects and instruments — some capturing the shapes, colours, and textures Hughes experiences in sound, others are instruments used to create sounds of their own. These pieces are housed within a modular shelving unit, inspired by Perriand’s iconic ‘bibliothèque nuage,’ acting as both display and workspace — a reflection of Hughes’ studio practice and her evolving relationship with making.
Adding to the sensory tapestry are ceramic lamps with colour-changing lights, and a sound work composed from recordings of Hughes’ handmade instruments and found materials. Together, these elements create a spatial dialogue that invites visitors to experience how sound, colour, and form intersect in the lived environment.
The exhibition also includes a fold-out publication offering insights into Hughes’ thoughts on design principles, neurodivergency, and the nuanced ways we engage with the world through our bodies and senses, reflecting on Perriand’s principle of “the art of living”.
the art of living / the art of making is a moment of pause — a glimpse into Hughes’ creative process and the systems she has developed to navigate an uncertain and richly sensory life. It is an invitation to consider how the spaces we inhabit, the objects we touch, and the sounds we hear can shape a more thoughtful, balanced, and expressive way of being.Step inside, listen closely, and explore the evolving art of living through making.
The exhibition forms part of Abingdon Studios commissioning programme. Celebrating 10 years as Blackpool’s flagship contemporary visual arts studios and project space provision. Made possible thanks to Arts Council England’s Project Grant Funding (2024/25); and with additional support in partnership with Grundy Art Gallery.