“STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN”: A REFLECTION ON LIFE AND BEYOND
Ruup & Form is pleased to present Stairway to Heaven, the first solo exhibition in the UK by artist Barbara Long. The exhibition includes an immersive installation of the same name, along with Kitchen Sink Drama, One Darned Thing…, and a series of sculptural vessels, expanding Long’s exploration of memory, domesticity, and the passage of time.
At the heart of the exhibition lies Stairway to Heaven, an extraordinary sculptural installation that serves as a deeply personal meditation on transformation, resilience, and the cyclical nature of life. Originally conceived as a staircase made from recycled t-shirts and wool, the work has since evolved into a vibrant red structure, symbolising endurance and continuity.
The installation consists of 64 meticulously upholstered steps, with the intention of growing to 100, forming a physical timeline of significant moments in the artist’s life. The fabrics used in its creation have been carefully selected and dyed red, encapsulating personal histories through materials such as childhood muslins, wedding textiles, and cleaning cloths salvaged from her mother’s home. The final, unfinished steps remain open-ended, representing the uncertainty of the future and the ever-evolving nature of Long’s artistic practice. Inspired by climbing plants observed in northern Spain, Stairway to Heaven invites interaction, encouraging visitors to reflect on their own life journeys. An accompanying soundscape titled In My Beginning Is My End, In My End Is My Beginning weaves together studio sounds, birdsong, and the hum of domestic life, reinforcing the continuous cycle of existence.
On 5 March, Ruup & Form extended the installation with a live performance, adding The 65th Step to celebrate Barbara Long’s 65th year. As with each preceding step, this new addition will be upholstered with fabric imbued with memories from the past year. Visitors were invited to participate in this commemorative act, symbolising reflection and celebration of another year of life.
Beyond the central installation, the exhibition features works from Long’s Kitchen Sink Drama series, an evocative collection of darned, stitched, and embroidered domestic textiles. This series emerged during the process of clearing her mother’s home, an experience that revealed a poignant contrast between delicate 18th-century embroidered samplers—once painstakingly stitched by young girls for their trousseaux—and stacks of worn dishcloths and dusters, discarded yet carrying the weight of years of use. Transplanted to her studio in Madrid, these materials became the foundation for Kitchen Sink Drama, a project exploring the tension between preservation and disposability, sentimentality and necessity. Long’s hand-stitched repairs reflect on how we store, suppress, or reshape our memories. Phrases such as No Place Like Home and Kitchen Sink Dramas are embroidered into the fabric, referencing both domestic life and the raw realism of mid-20th-century British theatre and cinema, often focused on struggles within the home.
As the exhibition comes to a close on 29 March, visitors will have the opportunity to take part in an interactive workshop led by Barbara Long, artist and art therapist. The Cloths That Bind, taking place from 4 to 6 pm, invites participants to explore their personal connections to domestic textiles. Through experimental processes, the workshop will examine how fabric functions as both a physical and emotional thread linking us to family, history, and the concept of home. Ruup & Form will provide all necessary materials, but participants are encouraged to bring an old piece of domestic fabric of their own to incorporate into the session.
About Barbara Long
Barbara Long is a multidisciplinary artist, art therapist, and educator based in Madrid, Spain. Originally from the UK, she has worked with environmental and cultural NGOs in Manchester, leading community art and environmental projects. She holds a degree in History of Art from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and a Master’s in Art Psychotherapy, as well as a diploma in group psychology from Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona.
Long has extensive experience as a creative facilitator, conducting workshops and offering art therapy to vulnerable groups, including at-risk children, adolescents, asylum-seeking families, and women referred by social services. Her artistic practice spans immersive installations, performances, sculptural objects, and ephemeral land art. Through mending, stitching, and repurposing, she creates transient works that reflect the flux of life.
About Ruup & Form
Ruup & Form is a dynamic and ever-evolving platform dedicated to the advancement of artistic expression. Based in London, the gallery blends art, craft, and design, embracing new voices, styles, and ideas to enrich the cultural landscape. Ruup & Form’s collection is a vibrant fusion of creativity, where emerging trends, new talents, and established masters coexist harmoniously. The gallery curates museum-quality works of art that enhance both living and working spaces, while simultaneously supporting talented artists from around the world.
Founded by Varuna Kollanethu in 2019, Ruup & Form’s mission is to blur the boundaries between art and craft, promote community by bringing works to a broader audience, and support artists through exhibitions, events, fairs, and educational workshops. With Collect. Commission. Collaborate. at its core, the gallery partners with artists, educates new collectors, and helps passionate collectors discover exciting new talent.
Info: hello@ruupandform.com, Tel: +44 7724 880218
