Textile panel of a woman in a purple dress inside a house, holding a beetle, with several beetles crawling on the floor.

Exhibitions

Troublemakers
and
Prophets
Elizabeth Allen and Other Visionary Artists

Saturday 28 March – Monday 31 August 2026

From detailed beadwork to large-scale sculpture, these pieces transform everyday chaos into something fantastical, reflective and urgent.

Wed – Sun: Grounds 10am-5pm, Galleries 10.30am-5pm
Closed Mon and Tue, except bank holiday Mondays

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About the
Exhibition

Discover a bold, immersive exhibition exploring art, isolation and extraordinary vision.

Elizabeth Allen’s creations are absurd, darkly funny, and strikingly prophetic. In this exhibition she is joined by a host of other “visionary artists” who invite you to step into a vibrant, topsy-turvy world where 12 of her works are displayed alongside more than 15 artists who also saw life differently. Over four rooms, explore bold responses to contemporary life from artists who turn struggle into powerful visual statements.

Known as Queen, Allen was on the cusp of wider recognition when she died in 1967, after years of living in a cabin in the forest. Her work reveals a life shaped by fierce conviction and apocalyptic vision. This exhibition includes the first public showing of Queen’s handmade textile autobiography – the ‘Autobiraggraphy’.

Queen’s textile proclamations lead a chorus of works made from fragments – toys, furniture, clothing, news, religion and folklore. From detailed beadwork to large-scale sculpture, these pieces transform everyday chaos into something fantastical, reflective and urgent.