As Above, So Below: Monsters, Memes, Merchiston Tower
Edinburgh Napier University, May 29 - June 6, 2025
Prestongrange Ceiling, the oldest surviving painted ceiling in Scotland, is tucked away in Merchiston Tower, a medieval fortress rarely open to the public. This interactive heritage exhibition presented bold interpretation, designed to captivate audiences that struggle to connect with historic places.
Edinburgh Napier University, May 29 - June 6, 2025
Prestongrange Ceiling, the oldest surviving painted ceiling in Scotland, is tucked away in Merchiston Tower, a medieval fortress rarely open to the public. This interactive heritage exhibition presented bold interpretation, designed to captivate audiences that struggle to connect with historic places.
Drawing playful parallels between the grotesque and garish humour of the 16th century, and the absurdity of modern memes culture, As Above So Below revealed the human impulse to use laughter to confront the unknown and urges us to reconsider what we know about the past. The exhibition offered new perspectives on the Prestongrange Ceiling through 3D models, video projection, holographic animation, and digital restoration.
I was involved in every stage of As Above, So Below and led the exhibition's thematic development and installation process. l began by researching the site before producing the first ever high-definition photographs of the ceiling, including a trove of newly discovered panels. Guided by a thorough study of archival sources, I carried out digital restoration on the panels to display them as they would have appeared to the original owners. I designed an interactive mobile visitor guide to offer visitors another layer of exploration within the exhibition.
I was involved in every stage of As Above, So Below and led the exhibition's thematic development and installation process. l began by researching the site before producing the first ever high-definition photographs of the ceiling, including a trove of newly discovered panels. Guided by a thorough study of archival sources, I carried out digital restoration on the panels to display them as they would have appeared to the original owners. I designed an interactive mobile visitor guide to offer visitors another layer of exploration within the exhibition.
This exhibition was a collaboration between MA graduates in Heritage & Exhibition Design and Interactive Experiences.
