Britannic Myths

The Director of CNB, Rebecca Lidert, is delighted to present Britannic Myths, the gallery’s second solo show by the acclaimed British artist Joe Machine. Twelve paintings have been created alongside the academic and writer Dr Steven O’Brien, based on a dialogue around his book, Britannia Stories.

Britannia Stories explores twenty myths. While all of these are commonly associated with the British Isles, many originate from other civilisations, countries and cultures, and were adopted – and adapted – as a consequence of invasion and conquest. The two men worked closely in examining the origins of all the stories, and on determining the relevance of each to the 21st century, with Machine’s paintings influencing O’Brien’s writings, and vice versa. 

Says Machine: ‘The power of the stories lies not so much as folk tales from isolated islands, but in their universal connection to ancient cultures. These dialogues with the divine, and struggles of the human spirit are timeless, and show us how myths are as important today as they ever were.’