Notoriously considered a mysterious and secretive society for men, London’s Freemasons have taken in their first artist in residence. Hidden in plain sight amongst central London’s innumerable imposing buildings, close to Covent Garden, is the Freemasons’ Hall—the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England and a fine example of Art Deco architecture—where the South African painter Jacques Viljoen has spent the last four months capturing masonic life in the lodge. Organised as part of the celebration of the tercentenary of Freemasonry, Viljoen has had unprecedented access to the historic organisation’s headquarters. His paintings include a portrait of a father and son, a lodge room and a masonic still life. “Looking at these paintings we get a glimpse of the world behind closed doors,” says the curator Roberto Ekholm.
Viljoen’s works will go on show in the exhibition Rough to Smooth (24 June to 1 July) alongside nine other guest artists, one of whom is a Freemason himself. Martin Taylor, a member of Spelhoe Lodge, chose to paint the façade of the 1933 Freemason’s Hall, which captures the installation of the Victoria Cross memorial for fallen Freemason’s in the First World War, before it was unveiled in April. You can also catch Viljoen live in action painting at the hall’s open day on Saturday 24 June.
