Tyntesfield presents The Colony by Vietnamese artist Dinh Q. Lê

This autumn, Tyntesfield presents The Colony, a striking four-screen film installation by Vietnamese artist and filmmaker Dinh Q. Lê (1968–2024). Shown in the house’s Drawing Room from 6 September to 2 November 2025, the work transports visitors to the Chincha Islands off the coast of Peru – the centre of the Victorian guano trade that generated the Gibbs family fortune.

By the mid-1800s, guano (seabird droppings) was mined from the islands under brutal and exploitative conditions, then exported globally as fertiliser. The Gibbs family became major importers in Britain, funding the development of Tyntesfield. Lê’s film revisits the islands, discovering abandoned ruins and desolate landscapes and the labourers still harvesting guano by hand. Blending sweeping drone footage with boat-level perspectives and set to Daniel Wohl’s evocative score, the work reflects on the human and environmental costs of the industry that shaped the estate.

A visitor sitting on a bench watch The Colony on a large screen ©James Beck

"The Artangel Collection makes outstanding moving image works produced by Artangel and leading artists available to new audiences across the country. With each presentation the works themselves are opened up to fresh interpretations, while also inviting audiences to see the sites from a different perspective," said Mariam Zulfiqar, Director at Artangel. "Visitors to The Colony at Tyntesfield are invited to reflect on the connections between Dinh Q. Lê’s monumental work and the estate in which it is being presented, which was built on the exploitative guano trade at the heart of the film."

For Dr. Miranda Garrett, Property Curator at Tyntesfield, the installation creates a powerful dialogue with the house: “The Peruvian Chincha Islands are over 6,000 miles away from Somerset. Shown in Tyntesfield's grand Drawing Room, The Colony bridges that distance and connects the beauty of the house with the complex global stories that shaped it. We're excited to give visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in this history through the artwork, and to reflect on the legacies that continue to resonate today."

An accompanying display, Costing the Earth, will feature 150 years of Gibbs family belongings, highlighting the hidden costs of everyday objects to people and the planet.

The exhibition is included in admission to Tyntesfield. For opening times and information on getting to Tyntesfield please visit nationaltrust.org.uk/Tyntesfield