Bringing the light: 'The Hop' by Jyll Bradley

A hop is a climbing plant, commonly known as Humulus lupulus, with female flowers or cones that are the key ingredient in beer-making. The Hop echoes the geometry of Kent’s unique hop growing structures which are designed to expose the plant to the maximum amount of sunlight.

Bradley grew up in Kent but then moved to London to continue her art studies and The Hop is a work that connects the rural with the urban. When it was first created and displayed by the banks of the Thames it was inspired by the history of the thousands of working-class families from Lambeth who, until the 1960s, escaped the pollution of the city once a year to bring in the hop harvest, or ‘go hopping’ in Kent.

Now, adapted especially for display in Plymouth, it takes on a new character. From the form, shapes and tensioning of the sails and rigging on the many ships that have journeyed to and from Plymouth over the centuries, to the congregation that once worshipped at St Luke’s: perhaps gathering outside with their arms held high in the sunshine.

Ultimately, The Hop is a work that speaks of the structures we build to bring light for growth and connection. Light is something that Bradley has used as a medium and a metaphor throughout her career. It’s allowed her to experiment, evolve, create and feel a sense of belonging.

Find out more about Jyll Bradley: Running and Returning (until 2 November 2025), a major exhibition that explores Bradley’s rich, three-decade career through photography, film, sculpture and more.