The Heong Gallery at Downing College, Cambridge, UK
20 February 2026 – 19 April 2026
Group exhibition
The Heong Gallery at Downing College, Cambridge, will present a multidisciplinary exhibition in February 2026, exploring the enduring influence of Tudor history and art on contemporary artistic practice. Running through April 2026, the exhibition is curated by Dr Christina J Faraday, a renowned historian of Tudor art and ideas.
The exhibition will showcase works by eleven contemporary artists, including Natasja Kensmil, alongside rare historical objects from Cambridge collections. Spanning painting, digital media, video, photography, animatronics, ceramics, jewellery, and silversmithing, the exhibition examines themes of power, identity, and artifice—echoing the Tudor era’s transformative impact on politics, religion, and society.
The Heong Gallery at Downing College, Cambridge, UK
Photography Tomos Davies
A highlight of the exhibition is Mat Collishaw’s Mask of Youth, an animatronic reimagining of Elizabeth I’s features, displayed for only the third time in the UK. It will be joined by new works such as Stephen Farthing RA’s Elizabeth I: In a Field of Stars, created specifically for this exhibition. Other featured artists include The Singh Twins, Linder Sterling, Chan-Hyo Bae, Peter Brathwaite, Eleanor Breeze, Serena Korda, and Jane Partner.
oil on canvas
150 x 150 cm
The exhibition fosters a dialogue between contemporary and historical artworks, exploring representations of power, bodily regulation, gender, race, and the interplay of magic and technology. It reflects a shift in postmodern art from irony to a more sincere engagement with history, revealing striking parallels between pre-modern and contemporary artistic practices.
oil on canvas
200 x 200 cm
Dr Christina Faraday, curator and author of Tudor Liveliness (2023) and The Story of Tudor Art (2025), brings her expertise to this project, offering a fresh perspective on the Tudor legacy in modern art.
This exhibition promises to be a significant cultural event, inviting audiences to reconsider the past through the lens of today’s artistic innovations. For more information, visit The Heong Gallery’s website.