COLCHESTER.- A unique exhibition, using 21st century technology to view John Constable’s 19th century masterpieces, opens in East Bergholt, this month.

For one week only (17 to 23 August 2026) art lovers will have the opportunity to view several of Constable’s most famous paintings through mixed-reality headsets.

Ten of John Constable’s paintings will feature in the exhibition, including works loaned from The National Gallery, National Galleries of Scotland and V&A.

Unconventional Constable has been developed by Ipswich-based creative technology studio Xibitr, in partnership with Babergh District Council and Colchester + Ipswich Museums and will transform Constable Memorial Hall – in East Bergholt, the village of Constable’s birth - into an amazing, pop-up art gallery.

Combining advanced 3D design and game-engine technology, the exhibition will reveal the wonders of Constable’s skill and vision as they have never been experienced or seen before.

Donning one of the mixed reality headsets, visitors will be able to see the real room (in the hall) and the digital versions of Constable’s artworks within it at the same time. The technology places digital objects into a real space rather than replacing it, so a painting appears on an actual wall and stays there as the viewer walks around it.
Mixed-reality, rather than its virtual and augmented counterparts, is also the right fit for this project, as James Burgess, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Xibitr, explains: “Constable painted the landscape immediately around him, so keeping visitors grounded in the real hall, rather than sealing them into a synthetic one, fits the subject,” he says.

“The paintings never become walk-through 3D worlds. That's deliberate. Going further would mean inventing detail Constable never painted. What visitors will see is the hall reconfigured with a false digital wall system set just inside the existing perimeter, creating three hanging surfaces that echo the gallery at Christchurch Mansion (in Ipswich, where The Hay Wain: Walking Constable’s Landscape is currently on until 4 October 2026). The paintings hang at full scale in reconstructed frames matching the originals.”





A button accompanying each painting will allow visitors to learn more information about the scene they’re looking at, including explanatory text and narration. Some of the paintings will also carry what are called ‘interactive hotspots’, or specific points on the canvas that open extra detail, with further details and close-ups.

At the centre of the pop-up gallery, will be a large interactive map showing the present-day landscape of ‘Constable Country’, marked with the location of where each painting was made. This can also switch to a historic map of the same area overlaid.

The exhibition will also showcase a number of paintings made by local school children, who entered a Constable 250-themed competition organised by Babergh District Council. They were invited to reimagine the landscapes of John Constable with their own creative response. Children from across the area produced original artworks exploring place, nature and their personal connection to the landscape.

Nine of these works were selected by Babergh District Council, Colchester + Ipswich Museums, and the East Bergholt Society to be showcased within the Unconventional Constable exhibition. All of the competition entries can be viewed on a screen outside of the exhibition.

Cllr Derek Davis, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Economy at Babergh District Council, said: "I am really pleased that Babergh District Council were able to get involved with such an exciting project.

"The standard of artwork that was submitted was fantastic and we're grateful not only to the students who put their art forward, but to the teachers and schools that supported them throughout the process.

"The exhibition is taking place between 17–23 August at East Bergholt Memorial Hall and I would encourage residents to visit and see the art for themselves.”

Unconventional Constable is completely FREE to see, including the use of the headsets. Booking isn’t required but at busy times there may be a short wait for headsets to become available. A comfortable, seated lounge area at the hall will prevent visitors from needing to stand, if a short waiting time is required. Here, visitors can also admire the pictures created by all the youngsters who entered the competition.

The exhibition and mixed-reality headsets are suitable for ages 7 and over. Please note that a maximum of 7 people can view the show at a time.

Unconventional Constable will be open 10am - 3pm daily, from Monday 17th August to Sunday 23rd August inclusive. On Monday 17 August, visitors can also explore Suffolk Archives’ Constable on Tour trailer, located in the Memorial Hall car park.