Jenkin van Zyl's 'Enclosure' to Transform Somerset House Studios
'Enclosure', a significant film and installation by resident artist Jenkin van Zyl, will be showcased at Somerset House Studios. This project, co-commissioned with Film and Video Umbrella and HOME Manchester, will occupy the Lancaster Rooms from 24 September to 29 November 2026. The narrative unfolds in a deteriorating facility where tourists once engaged with replicated celebrity figures known as 'Cherubs'. It centers on Mercy, a former starlet who attempts to eliminate her own Cherub but inadvertently releases it, resulting in chaos. The installation enhances the film's universe with sculptures, fairground signs, holograms, inflatable cocoons, and aged memorabilia. Following its debut for Somerset House Studios' 10th anniversary, 'Enclosure' will travel to HOME Manchester from 26 February to 16 May 2027. Van Zyl, who has been a resident for three years, explores themes of fantasy and fringe communities through film, performance, writing, and sculpture.
Key facts
- Jenkin van Zyl is a resident artist and filmmaker at Somerset House Studios.
- 'Enclosure' is co-commissioned with Film and Video Umbrella and HOME Manchester.
- The installation runs from 24 September to 29 November 2026 at Lancaster Rooms, Somerset House.
- The film explores obsolete technologies and self-preservation in a commodified world.
- The story involves a former starlet named Mercy and her Cherub replica.
- The installation includes sculptures, fairground signage, holograms, inflatable cocoons, and decaying ephemera.
- After Somerset House, 'Enclosure' tours to HOME Manchester from 26 February to 16 May 2027.
- Van Zyl's previous films include 'Looners' (2019), 'Machines of Love' (2021), 'Surrender' (2023), and 'Lost Property' (2025).
Entities
Artists
- Jenkin van Zyl
Institutions
- Somerset House Studios
- Film and Video Umbrella
- HOME Manchester
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Manchester
- Lancaster Rooms