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In Pictures: Wimbledon students take over the National Gallery

A group of people in different elaborate costumes dance in formation, all with their arm out-stretched, in a large ornate gallery space.
  • Written bySarah McLean
  • Published date 28 August 2022
A group of people in different elaborate costumes dance in formation, all with their arm out-stretched, in a large ornate gallery space.
Rehearsal for the performance in the gallery on 23 May 2022.
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Orlando Myxx

On Friday 27 May 2022, Wimbledon students took over one of the UK's most prestigious museums with a night of live, public performance in celebration of Baroque masterpieces on show in the National Gallery, London.

Part of the National Gallery's Friday Lates series and titled Costuming the Baroque, the event saw BA Costume for Theatre and Screen students collaborate with BA Acting and Performance and BA Contemporary Theatre and Performance students to create a costumed installation performance which took place in front of some of the works which inspired it.

A woman in a large dress made from material painted with clouds, stands, hugging herself, in front of paintings in a large gallery room.
Emma Chladkova, costume inspired by Diego Velazquez's The Immaculate Conception, worn by Lauren Derry.
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: The National Gallery, London

The brief invited costume students to create bespoke costumes which brought to life some of the gallery's most famous paintings situated in the Italian and Spanish Baroque Galleries. Works selected by students to respond to included Caravaggio's Boy bitten by a Lizard and Diego Velazquez's The Immaculate Conception.

Made especially for each performer, these costumes were worn by the acting and contemporary theatre students to perform a piece devised by Rachel Hosker and Kwami Odoom from the physical theatre company The Pappy Show.

Here, we look back at highlights from the event.

A group of performers in different costumes stand in a circle in a large grand gallery space in front of a crowd of people.
Performance in the National Gallery on Friday 27 May.
| Photograph: The National Gallery, London
A group of people in costumes perform in front of a large painting.
Rehearsal in the gallery, 23 May 2022.
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Orlando Myxx
A woman stands in a large gallery space with a marble floor. A painting is hanging on a red wall behind her. She is wearing a red and green net dress with a plastic bodice. Her arms are outstretched.
Mao Inoue, costume inspired by Juan de Zurbarán's Still Life with Lemons in a Wicker Basket, worn by Amanda Wu.
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: The National Gallery, London
A woman in a long gold dress poses for photographs in front of a crowd of people and a large painting hanging in a grand gallery space.
Christina Pearson poses for photos wearing costume by Antonia Abbott, in front of the painting which inspired it: Mattia Preti's The marriage at Cana.
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: The National Gallery, London
A person seen from behind wearing a black costume with detailing of a spine stands in front of a painting on a red wall.
Killian Theofilopoulou, costume inspired by the Salvator Rosa's Witches at their Incantations, worn by Joy Luyckx Knegtel.
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Orlando Myxx
A group of people in costumes do a choreographed performance in a grand gallery space.
Performance at the National Gallery, London, on 27 May 2022.
| Photograph: The National Gallery, London
Two young women in costumes stand in front of two paintings in gold frames hanging on a red wall.
L-R: Anansie Wood's costume worn by Vere van den Broek and Bibi Forrer's costume worn by Lavinia Grippa standing in front of the painting which inspired them: Pietro da Cortona's Saint Cecilia.
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Orlando Myxx
Performers in different poses face in different dircetions in a large gallery space with paintings behind them.
Performers at the Friday Lates event on 27 May 2022.
| Photograph: The National Gallery, London
A man looks through his hands towards the camera. One hand has a white glove covered in black paint, the other hand has no glove.
Xenia Bae, costume inspired by Michaelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio's Boy bitten by a Lizard, worn by Jack Tisdall.
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Orlando Myxx
A person in pink make-up wears a Baroque-inspired costume in front of a large painting.
Ines Michelotto, costume titled Spirit of Baroque worn by Teck Krol
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: The National Gallery, London
A woman in a gallery space with a marble floor poses with her arms above her head.
Yeuk Hei Lee, costume inspired by Guido Reni's The Rape of Europa, worn by Min Wei.
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: The National Gallery, London
A woman in a satin dress with a golden headdress stands in front of a Baroque painting.
Caroline Husband, costume inspired by Guido Reni's The Toilet of Venus, worn by Marianne Majluf.
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Orlando Myxx

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