Openspace Cambridge is following up its highly successful Syd Barrett exhibition by showcasing works by Julia Ball, an abstract painter from Cambridge who co-founded Cambridge Open Studios in 1974.
Liz Rothschild, Amy Tobin and Ronald Pile at the launch of The Colours Between: The Life and Work of Julia Ball at Openspace Cambridge, 18 October 2026. Picture: Rowan Rothschild Twine
The exhibition was launched, alongside a new book edited by Liz Rothschild, titled The Colours Between: The life and work of Julia Ball 1930-2025, last Sunday (18 October) upstairs at Openspace.
Joining Liz to celebrate the life and work of Julia, who died in early 2025 at the age of 94, at this packed-out event were Ronald Pile, director of Openspace, University of Cambridge academic Amy Tobin, and Izzy Jones, a curatorial assistant at Pallant House Gallery, 5 Chichester, who documented and organised the archive.
Liz spoke about her long-standing friendship with Julia and her interesting life, and read extracts from the book, as did Amy Tobin, who is a professor of modern and contemporary art history in the Department of History of Art at the University of Cambridge, as well as a curator of contemporary art at Kettle’s Yard.
The 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineIzzy Jones and Liz Rothschild at the launch of The Colours Between: The Life and Work of Julia Ball at Openspace Cambridge, 18 October 2026. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineLiz Rothschild at the launch of The Colours Between: The Life and Work of Julia Ball at Openspace Cambridge, 18 October 2026. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe Julia Ball exhibition. Right, Izzy Jones, Liz Rothschild and Amy Tobin Pictures: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineLiz Rothschild and Amy Tobin at the launch of The Colours Between: The Life and Work of Julia Ball at Openspace Cambridge, 18 October 2026. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineIzzy Jones, Liz Rothschild and Amy Tobin at the launch of The Colours Between: The Life and Work of Julia Ball at Openspace Cambridge, 18 October 2026. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineLiz Rothschild and Amy Tobin at the launch of The Colours Between: The Life and Work of Julia Ball at Openspace Cambridge, 18 October 2026. Picture: Rowan Rothschild Twine
Amy, a fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge, wrote one of the chapters in the book.
The Colours Between includes many colour plates and photographs, as well as contributions from academics, former students, poets, collaborators, family and friends, including Rachel Mulford-Fleming, Jeremy Mulford, Wendy Mulford, Elspeth Owen, Denise Riley, Harriet Tarlo, Amy Tobin, and curators Ronald Pile and Ann Jarman. Harriet Lofler from the Women’s Art Collection at Murray Edwards College wrote the foreword.
Liz, the daughter of Henry Rothschild, founder of the Primavera gallery, is also Julia Ball’s art executor.
Speaking to the Cambridge Independent after the event, she said: “This is the culmination of the process that’s been going on over several years, which began with an Open Studio held at 15 Beche Road, where Julia used to live and work for many decades, at a point where she was no longer working or living there, which was overwhelmed in terms of attendance.
“It really revealed the standing in which she was held – neighbours, old students, friends, and multiple generations of families coming to buy pieces of work, having grown up with something maybe on their parents’ or grandparents’ walls.
“Then we moved to having another exhibition here last September, and then today we are celebrating the launch of the new book about Julia, which is called The Colours Between: The life and work of Julia Ball 1930-2025, which is a collection of writings of poets that have written about her work, students that have written about her work, family members talking about her, her family origins, and a wealth of images and quotations from her own writing, which was exceptional.
“So it’s a celebration, really, and set in the context of the wonderful Openspace where we’ve drawn back major works from private collectors and partnered them with pieces of processed work, so you can see how Julia progressed towards the finished work.
“You can get some idea of the stages and the thought processes that she used, and it’s here for another two weekends.”
Izzy Jones, Liz Rothschild and Amy Tobin at the launch of The Colours Between: The Life and Work of Julia Ball at Openspace Cambridge, 18 October 2026. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineLiz Rothschild and Amy Tobin at the launch of The Colours Between: The Life and Work of Julia Ball at Openspace Cambridge, 18 October 2026. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineThe 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineAmy Tobin at the launch of The Colours Between: The Life and Work of Julia Ball at Openspace Cambridge, 18 October 2026. Picture: Rowan Rothschild Twine
Liz says the book is “very much a labour of love, because I met Julia when I was 12 years old”. She adds that she and Julia also shared “a huge love of the sea, of walking, of nature, and of art”.
How would Julia have felt about following Syd Barrett at Openspace?
“I don’t know what she would have made of that, it’s very much another world from her world!,” laughs Liz.
“Her music tended to be more modern classical, but she was also a very open person, which is why she went on making relationships with younger people all her life.
“She listened a lot; she was engaged and very alive, so she would probably have been intrigued. It might not have been her thing, but she would have been intrigued.”
The 2026 Julia Ball exhibition at Openspace Cambridge. Picture: Rowan Rothschild TwineIzzy Jones, Liz Rothschild and Amy Tobin at the launch of The Colours Between: The Life and Work of Julia Ball at Openspace Cambridge, 18 October 2026. Picture: Rowan Rothschild Twine
See Julia Ball’s artworks on display at Openspace Cambridge this weekend (24-25 October) and next weekend (31 October-1 November), from 10am-5pm. For more, visit bio.site/CamOpen.space. For more on Julia, go to juliaball.org.