Lucy Sparrow is Opening Another All-Felt Supermarket
Over 21,000 handmade groceries will fill The Momentary.
Summary
- British artist Lucy Sparrow will present her first U.S. museum exhibition, The Beginning of Convenience, at The Momentary in Arkansas from July 18, 2026 through July 11, 2027
- The show takes shape as another one of her renowned grocery store installations, and will feature over 20,000 handmade felt replicas
- The installation explores consumer culture through the titular “beginning of convenience” in the ‘80s and early ‘90s
Lucy Sparrow is at the top of the felt game. The British artist is known for her unique retail installations — like this “fauxdega,” pharmacy, or chip shop — made up of tens of thousands of handsewn, stitched, and painted sculptures. For her next act, Sparrow has touched down at The Momentary, Crystal Bridges’ extension venue in Bentonville, Arkansas, and is currently gearing up for her first stateside museum moment.
Her forthcoming exhibition, dubbed The Beginning of Convenience, will transform the ex-factory-turned-art-space into another one of her famed felt grocery stores. Part installation, part time-capsule, the exhibition turns back the clock and takes viewers into a supermarket straight out of the ‘80s, complete with over 20,000 individually handmade replicas, ranging from snacks, drinks, beauty supplies, and other household items.
Expanding on her extensive archival research into consumer culture, the exhibition explores what Sparrow calls “the beginning of convenience,” a period when commercial comforts started to rule over Western life. Taste was traded for speed, effort for convenience, and suddenly home-cooked culture was ousted by the shiny plastic of microwave dinners.
Alongside the supermarket experience, the exhibition will feature a built replica of the Felt Cave, aka Sparrow’s studio, and a new self-made documentary chronicling the artist’s work in the months leading up to the show.
Sparrow Mart (2018) And Bourdon Street Chippy (2025) / Photo: Alun Callender, Courtesy Of @sewyoursoul
Sparrow Mart (2018) And Bourdon Street Chippy (2025) / Photo: Alun Callender, Courtesy Of @sewyoursoul
Sparrow Mart (2018) And Bourdon Street Chippy (2025) / Photo: Alun Callender, Courtesy Of @sewyoursoul
The Beginning of Convenience will be on view at The Momentary from July 18, 2026, through July 11, 2027. Take a look at Sparrow’s past shows above for a taste of what’s to come next month.
The Momentary
507 SE E St,
Bentonville, AR 72712
