Last week D and I went to Kenilworth Castle as I was really wanted to see the Wicked Game Exhibition.
It was sunny when we arrived but that wasn't to last long! I've written about Kenilworth Castle many times so I won't go through all the history again.
Mortimer's Tower is in the foreground with the Great Tower or Norman keep behind.
Leicester's Gatehouse
Lunn's Tower
The kitchen with its oven and below a photo of some of the herringbone masonry.
The Great Hall
The Wicked Game exhibition by Lindsey Mendick, comprising a series of fragmented ceramic sculptures, aims to give a new perspective on Queen Elizabeth I's relationship with Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and her strategies for maintaining authority at court. It re-examines the events of her nineteen day visit in July 1575 to Kenilworth from a female perspective. 2025 marks the 450th anniversary of her visit.
If you click on the photo below to enlarge it the information board gives far more information on the meaning of the sculptures and the exhibition.
I would have liked to spend far more time studying the sculptures but by now it had started to rain. We just made it to the stables for lunch before the rain became torrential!
The exhibition is open until the end of October so I might try and visit again on a day when there isn't constant showers!
All photos taken by me and my son with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).
I’ve heard of Kenilworth Castle which look a great place to visit but the exhibition is not for me which for some reason reminds me of Alice in Wonderland
ReplyDeleteThanks Billy. Kenilworth Castle is one of our favourite places and worth a visit if you are in the area. I can see what you mean about the exhibition reminding you of Alice in Wonderland and I agree - it was quite surreal!
DeleteJust my thought too - Alice in Wonderland. It certainly looks very unusual but is worthy of more than a curious look round to understand it. Shame it's a bit too far for me to go.
ReplyDeleteThank you BB and I agree about Alice in Wonderland. Sorry it is too far away for you to visit.
Deleteinterestingly my reaction to the sculptures was to Alice as well!! thanks for sharing I must go back
ReplyDeleteThanks Pete - I agree with you all about Alice! The exhibition is on I believe until 31st October (not sure when you will be in the Cotswolds).
DeleteI’ve visited many castles but I’ve never visited Kenilworth Castle and so that was fascinating. Yes, the sculptures are somewhat grotesque but it’s what they allude to that’s interesting! Thank you for the visit! 😁
ReplyDeleteThank you Sal and I am so glad you enjoyed the castle and the sculptures. The sculptures were very intriguing!
DeleteGlad you got to visit Kenilworth again. The exhibition is most unusual, what an imagination the artists has. Like everyone who has left you a comment it does remind me of illustrations in Alice in Wonderland but also of some of the more unusual grotesques on church buildings and perhaps paintings by Bosch, also the fears in peoples' mind at that time. Hopefully you can return to look again as it is very intriguing:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosie. Its really interesting to read what the sculptures reminded you of and as you say they are intriguing. I didn't take photos of them all which I will rectify if I get chance to return.
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