2022 Norwich, SCVA, Visions of Ancient Egypt

The Sainsbury Centre presents a major new exhibition exploring the enduring appeal of ancient Egypt in art and design from the ancient past to the present day.

Over 150 works drawn from collections in the UK and internationally will examine how ancient Egypt has shaped our cultural imagination. From antiquity, when the Great Pyramid was revered as a wonder of the ancient world, to the Cleopatra of Shakespeare’s stage, this ground-breaking exhibition explores this ongoing engagement with ancient Egypt and charts its many forms across centuries of art and design. The exhibition examines how the iconic motifs and visual styles of Egypt have been re-imagined and re-invented over time – revealing a history closely entwined with conquest and colonial politics.