FOREST: Exhibition

About

FOREST: Exhibition
Saturday 24 May - Sunday 5 October 2025
Nottingham Castle

Forests are inspirational, fuelling human imagination for centuries.

The ancient forest of Sherwood Forest, or “Shire-Wood”, is synonymous with Nottingham’s worldwide identity, and home to the legendary Major Oak, believed to be over 1,000 years old.

FOREST is an exhibition that delves into the myth and magic of arboreal art, exploring how this timeless and powerful totem can shape artistic thought and creative practices.  

The exhibition showcases six newly commissioned works created exclusively for Nottingham Castle, alongside artworks on loan to the city for the first time, presented in the company of prints, drawings and photographs from Nottingham’s own Collection, including the iconic, large-scale painting of the Major Oak (1882) by Nottingham-born artist Andrew MacCallum (1821-1902).  

Some artists have reflected on deeply personal connections to Sherwood Forest or the Major Oak, while others take a broader perspective, exploring the essence of woodlands or their relationship with a greenwood canopy, venturing into themes of perambulation, folklore, grief, and climate change. 
Featured artists include: Arianne Churchman (London), Tim Fowler and Graeme Hawe (Leicester), Ashley Gallant (Lincoln), Jasper Goodall (Brighton), Jelly Green (Suffolk), Terence Lane (Nottingham), Caroline Locke (Nottingham), Tach Pollard (Buckinghamshire), Yelena Popova (Nottingham), The Window Women (Reggie Pugh and Gina Harries Pugh) (Nottingham), and Jennie Syson (Nottingham).

FOREST concludes with scientific contributions and research from specialists at the University of Nottingham who have focused on the Major Oak, which has helped inform the work of exhibiting artist Caroline Locke and is collated in a film by Georgianna Scurfield.