Beyond Bayeux: Tapestry Now, at the City of London Corporation’s gallery, presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reflect on tapestry’s past and shape its future. The exhibition complements the arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry in the UK for the display at the British Museum.
Guildhall Art Gallery’s exhibition will highlight how, since the 20th century, Dovecot’s highly skilled weavers in Edinburgh have collaborated with artists to demonstrate the continuing relevance and potential of tapestry as a contemporary art form. In the past, tapestry has been commissioned to mark key moments in history. One of the stand-out artworks is a new commission with Turner Prize-nominated artist, Hurvin Anderson. Measuring six metres in width, the tapestry will be unveiled in the exhibition before it is installed in the University of Oxford next year to mark the 600th anniversary of Lincoln College.
Other key artworks include a tapestry version of David Hockney’s 1963 painting, Play within a Play, commissioned by the artist. Hockney, who died in June this year, was drawn to tapestry for its narrative qualities and chose to live for many years in Normandy close to the Apocalypse tapestries and the Bayeux Tapestry.
More recent collaborations demonstrate how artists are playing with the medium, pushing the power of warp and weft to embody storytelling and symbolism. Dovecot and Farshid Moussavi created The Garden Carpet for the V&A Dundee in 2025, using the heritage of Persian textile to explore a paradise populated by plants and wildlife at risk in Scotland today.
Similarly, Dovecot has worked with Yinka Shonibare to interpret traditional African masks with a modern mix of coloured hanging warps, knots, single and double weave in Modern Spiritual (Fang Ngil, Kumbaduba).
Dovecot’s tapestries with Alberta Whittle on Ring Around the Rosy and with Rachel Maclean on Goo Gaa present creative expressions interpreting shaped outlines and digital imagery respectively. During the exhibition’s five-month run, the events programme will include historical tours and insights from artists and weavers on new ways of thinking about the art of tapestry and collaboration.
Celia Joicey, Dovecot Studios Director, said, “This exhibition is an opportunity to showcase tapestry as not only one of the world’s oldest fine art mediums, but also one that has a powerful connection to contemporary artists. To ensure that tapestry continues to flourish, it is crucial to highlight the importance of commissioning new work, while celebrating the incredible skills of Dovecot and British tapestry weavers.”
Brendan Barns, Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage, and Libraries Committee, said, “Tapestry has brought luxury and storytelling to some of the world’s most beautiful interiors, including the Sistine Chapel, Royal Palace of Madrid, Versailles, Hampton Court Palace, and Guildhall in the City of London, which has a long history of commissioning some of the finest tapestries in the UK.
“This exhibition reflects our mission to be an art gallery about London for London by highlighting the capital as a powerhouse for commissioning contemporary tapestry and creating outstanding opportunities for artists and weavers alike. While the British Museum highlights the Bayeux Tapestry and key moments in history, Dovecot Studios and Guildhall Art Gallery are proud to be playing their part in celebrating the future of UK tapestry.”
Guildhall Art Gallery supports Destination City, the City of London Corporation’s growth strategy, and forms part of the City of London’s wider arts and cultural offer. The City of London Corporation is one of the largest funders of heritage and cultural activities in the UK and invests over £145 million every year.
The City Corporation manages a range of cultural and heritage institutions, including the Barbican Centre, Tower Bridge, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Guildhall Library, Guildhall Art Gallery, The London Archives, and Keats House. It also supports the London Symphony Orchestra, and London Museum, which will open on 28 November.
For more information on the City Corporation, click here.
David Hockney, “A Tapestry Made from a Painting, Made from a Painting of a Tapestry, Made from a Painting”, 1970. Woven tapestry, 78 x 81″ © Estate of David Hockney. Photo Credit: Richard Schmidt. The David Hockney Foundation
