As the artistic world continuously moves forward, it can sometimes be beneficial to look back on our ancient past. Sometimes, taking inspiration from works of old and combining them with the tools and techniques of our modern era can result in spectacular new creations worth more than the sum of their parts.
This June, London’s Green & Stone gallery will display a wide array of exquisite pieces, each reinterpreting the art of the Medieval age with a modern twist.
Excerpt from press materials:
Medieval Relics opens this June at Green & Stone, presenting over 120 works by 26 contemporary artists from across the world in an eclectic new show that aims to surprise and delight. The selected works include painting, ceramics, stained glass, textiles, printmaking, woodcarving and metalwork, with sizes ranging from 3cm x 3cm miniature paintings to wall length tapestries.
What unites these artists is a shared fascination with the Middle Ages. Whether drawing on the rich symbolism of medieval belief systems – such as astrology, Christianity, mysticism, alchemy, and natural philosophy – or reviving traditional medieval materials and techniques, Medieval Relics explores how artists from around the world are responding to these influences in uniquely diverse ways.
The resultant exhibition is a cabinet of medieval-inspired curiosities, sacred and profane, serious and surreal, traditional and utterly contemporary. There is currently a groundswell of public fascination with the Middle Ages. In the past 6 months alone there have been two blockbuster medieval exhibitions in London – Siena at the National Gallery, and Medieval Women at the British Library – showcasing work by artists who lived over 700 years ago. Medieval Relics at Green & Stone rides this wave of interest, but considers the importance and enduring influence of these works on contemporary artists living today, in 2025.
The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. – Aristotle
