In Attendance: Paying Attention in a Fragile World

Opening in January 2025, join us at the historic Fitzrovia Chapel for an exhibition exploring the themes of attention, compassion and curiosity.

In Attendance: Paying Attention in a Fragile World presents a selection of paintings, sculptures and video by UK and international contemporary artists from the David and Indrė Roberts Collection, including Etel Adnan, Phyllida Barlow, Miriam Cahn and Paula Rego.

The works are displayed in the context of the historic Fitzrovia Chapel, originally built as part of the Middlesex Hospital, and for decades used as a place of respite, prayer and contemplation for medical staff, patients and visitors alike.

The exhibition asks us to reimagine the idea of attention as an open-ended practice tied to compassion, curiosity and care. It draws on the chapel’s heritage as a place of sanctuary and reflection, encouraging audiences to explore attention not as rigid focus but as a receptive, dynamic engagement with the world, inspired by the philosophy of Simone Weil.