Troublemakers
and
Prophets
Elizabeth Allen and Other Visionary Artists
Member Preview
Friday 27 March 2026
Access to this exhibition preview is for Compton Verney members only.
Find out more about our memberships here
Troublemakers and Prophets opens to all visitors on Saturday 28 March
Explore the strange and spellbinding world of Elizabeth Allen (1883–1967) and other visionary artists at Compton Verney.
Across four galleries, see how textiles, sculpture and found materials celebrate imagination as a powerful way to survive, resist and re-enchant the world.
Your membership gets you an exclusive look at this new exhibition before it opens to the general public.
The textile creations of Elizabeth Allen, aka Queen, are enchantingly uncanny and often boldly prophetic. They conjure an impassioned life of spiritual exploration.
After decades living in a cabin in the forest, Allen was on the cusp of lasting recognition when she died in 1967.
Sixty years after her first exhibition, 12 of Allen’s vivid textiles – some never shown before – are presented with other contemporary works that transform spirituality, hardship and everyday life into bold, prophetic visions.
in conversation:
Creative Practice in the Home
Sat 9 May 2026
Curator Tour and Tea
Troublemakers and Prophets:
Elizabeth Allen and Other Visionary Artists
Fri 22 May 2026
Trouble Makers: Experimenting with Collage
Sat 23 – Sun 31 May 2026