Creative Connections: Imperial Cosmologies

Gaze upon a Victorian inspired installation created by artist and researcher Christina Peake, underpinned by reflections from Imperial College London’s community on the institution’s complicated history.

Imperial Cosmologies transports you into a Victorian scene displaying eight panels accompanied by textiles, an authentic Victorian dresser, and items relating to Queen Victoria. The artwork reflects themes, key figures, ideas, motifs and iconography that came out of the Creative Connections project. This initiative connected staff and students (many identifying as global majority, from the LGBTQIA+ community, as having a disability, or a combination of all three) with Peake, to explore Imperial’s history and heritage.

Through workshops, participants shared their reflections on the legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851 and Imperial’s origins. They explored the pride they feel in being part of Imperial College London, as well as the difficult and often overlooked history that connects the institution to the empire.

Peake’s artwork draws on this shared dialogue, combining historical research on the Great Exhibition from Imperial’s archives, with her knowledge of imperialism and Victorian history, as well as exploring hidden histories from LGBTQIA+ and disabled communities. She ensured the voices of the Creative Connections' participants, as well as the stories of historically marginalised people, remained central to her work.

Peake is a Collaborative Practice-Based Doctoral Researcher at the University of Westminster and The National Archives.

Visitor information

This is a drop-in event, suitable for adults only. This zone is for people 18+ only, people younger than 18+ will not be allowed entry into the building.

The Adults Only Zone has step-free access and accessible toilets. 

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