The Colchester Globes

Presented by Teather Howard Arts

18th June 2023 – 18th January 2024

“The trail was a fantastic addition to the city centre in 2023, a beautifully crafted and thought-provoking reflection on the historic fabric of Colchester that intrigued visitors and those more familiar with the settings alike.” 

Claire Taylor, Visit Colchester

“Blurring the boundaries of painting and sculpture.“

The Guardian

Explore a series of radical and beautiful artworks depicting some of Colchester’s most memorable landmarks.  Discover Will Teather’s panoramic spheres spread across the city’s cultural quarter, on a journey that will take you through everywhere from the Castle Museum to a Georgian Townhouse and the iconic Lion Walk in the city centre. 

Locations are FREE to visit.

Globes can be found at Red Lion Yard in Lion Walk Shopping Centre, The Castle Museum and Hollytrees Museum in Colchester Park. For details of associated talks/workshops please email: [email protected]

“I hope that they present a unique visual spectacle and turn the viewer’s world inside-out for a moment.  When developing the original idea of the globes I wanted to find somewhere different to take realist painting; a new adventure. Each globe contains a few surprises on closer inspection which I think will add further interest for viewers as they compare them to their surroundings.  I hope the city of Colchester enjoys the installations.” Will Teather

The trail is supported by Arts Council England, Colchester City Council and Colchester Museums.

Very clever… and beautiful.

BBC News

“I came away with the abiding sensation that I had just been teleported into and out of a place of magic and illusion.”

Neil Powell, Wall Street International

“We were inspired by Will’s sphere as a transportive tool: imaginatively moving housebound care home residents beyond their bedrooms to a museum miles away. Together we made collages adapting the doorways and window space in their home: creating portals into other ficticious worlds created by master painters. People gazed with exceptional interest while we turned the sphere slowly and talked about where it would be going next and how the artist had wanted them to see it first.“

Eyebrow Arts, May 2023

As if out to set himself ever-greater challenges, the artist has now embarked on Infinite Perspectives – researching, creating and presenting three-dimensional paintings on globes and unusually formed canvases. 

The compositions employ experimental forms of perspective to create immersive 360-degree realistic images – with both the perspective and the representation slyly shifting depending on which point you look at them.

A hemisphere containing a flock of doves hangs on the wall like one half of an opened giant egg. And now the artist-adventurer is on to the Norwich planets suite – with images of city sites cast on suspended globes. Spinning first is a world of books as reflected in Elm Hill’s Dormouse Bookshop.

Ian Collins, art critic and curator