An exhibition exploring one of Britain’s prehistoric landscapes has opened in Southampton.
The Avebury Papers exhibition is now on display at Southampton City Art Gallery, inviting visitors to explore the ancient site through the eyes of contemporary artists.
Running until October 17, the exhibition features new work inspired by the Avebury archive, reimagining the site’s past, present and future through archaeology, imagination and artistic interpretation.
Councillor Sarah Bogle, leader of Southampton City Council, said: "Southampton City Art Gallery has a proud reputation for bringing thought-provoking exhibitions to the city, and the Avebury Papers is a fantastic example of how contemporary art can open up new ways of understanding history and place.
READ MORE: Iconic R&B star to headline for international sailing race
"This exhibition offers residents and visitors a unique opportunity to engage with internationally significant research through ambitious new artistic commissions, alongside a varied public programme that will help more people connect with the gallery and the city’s cultural offer."
The exhibition is part of the British Science Festival programme, taking place in the city from September 16 to 20.
The gallery will also display an exhibition on the photography of archaeologist O.G.S. Crawford, whose pioneering aerial images transformed the understanding of Britain’s prehistoric sites.
Professor Mark Gillings, primary investigator of the Avebury Papers project, said: "Avebury is more than a heritage site – it has always been a place of awe, fascination and wonder; a place that has drawn generations of the curious and the inquisitive to it.
"The work of Gayle and Kialy taps directly into that wonder, revealing Avebury’s power and inviting us to engage with this incredible monument in wholly new ways."
READ MORE: Park yoga to host tea party to celebrate international yoga day
The Avebury Papers project is a four-year UKRI-funded collaboration led by the Universities of Bristol and York, focused on digitising and sharing Avebury’s multimedia archive.
Artists Gayle Chong Kwan and Kialy Tihngang were commissioned to reinterpret the Avebury archive through creative works.
Ms Chong Kwan’s piece, Oneiric Archaeologies, uses sound, wearable sculptures and ritual to explore how Avebury’s Neolithic landscape is collectively reshaped and reimagined.
Ms Tihngang’s The Bluest Eye examines how migration, pseudoscience, history and myth shape our perception of place.
Share