Artist showcases rewilding landscapes in West Sussex exhibition

Rebecca Howard has spent the past two years traveling across rewilding projects in England, translating the evolving landscapes into a series of paintings now on display at a West Sussex gallery. The exhibition, titled “Rewilding: A New Aesthetic,” showcases Howard’s depictions of sites where nature is reclaiming former agricultural and industrial land, offering viewers a visual exploration of habitats that challenge conventional ideas of the country’s “green and pleasant” scenery.

The works highlight features often dismissed by critics as untidy—beaver‑felled trees, scrub, deadwood, weeds, mud and what some label “mess.” Yet Howard’s canvases draw attention to the subtle beauty of fungi sprouting on dying trunks, water buffalo grazing in newly formed wetlands, and brown‑watered beaver pools that have re‑flooded once‑desiccated fields. By documenting these elements, the exhibition underscores the ecological benefits of rewilding, such as increased biodiversity, natural water management, and the restoration of native species.

Organisers hope the display will broaden public perception of rewilded environments, encouraging appreciation for the dynamic, sometimes rugged, visual qualities of restored ecosystems. The exhibition runs through the end of the month, inviting visitors to consider how aesthetic values can evolve alongside conservation practices.