Unruly Desires: Reframing the Past — Queering History at Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum

 

Image courtesy of Annabel Rainbow for FLAG

History is often presented as fixed, authoritative, and complete. Yet beneath the surface of many museum collections lie untold stories, hidden identities, and alternative ways of seeing the world. Unruly Desires: Reframing the Past, currently showing at the Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, challenges visitors to reconsider the past through a contemporary queer and postcolonial lens.

Running until 6 September 2026, this free exhibition brings together acclaimed photographers Sunil Gupta and Charan Singh alongside selected works from the museum's own collection. Through a thoughtful dialogue between historic and contemporary artworks, the exhibition asks powerful questions about identity, representation, love, intimacy, and who gets to be visible within cultural history.

Reimagining the Canon

At the heart of the exhibition are photographic works by Gupta and Singh, artists whose practices have long explored the intersections of sexuality, migration, race, and belonging within the South Asian diaspora. Their work confronts the limitations of traditional Western art histories, creating space for narratives that have often been marginalised or erased.

Particularly striking are Gupta's New Pre-Raphaelite series and Singh's The Promise of Beauty. Both bodies of work draw upon the visual language of classical studio portraiture while simultaneously subverting it. Familiar poses, aesthetics, and references are transformed into something radically contemporary, questioning the imperial and heteronormative assumptions embedded within art historical traditions.

Rather than rejecting history outright, the artists engage with it directly. They reclaim visual spaces from which queer bodies and desires have historically been excluded, creating images that are both deeply personal and politically resonant.

Conversations Across Time

What makes Unruly Desires especially compelling is the way it connects contemporary photography with historical works from the Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum collection.

The exhibition draws unexpected links between Gupta and Singh's photographs and objects including Pre-Raphaelite artworks, Company Paintings, and other historical pieces. These juxtapositions reveal how ideas about beauty, gender, race, power, and desire have been constructed over time.

The inclusion of newly commissioned, site-specific works further deepens this dialogue. Inspired directly by objects and images housed within the museum, these responses invite visitors to look again at familiar collections and consider what stories remain hidden within them.

The result is not simply an exhibition about the past, but an active conversation between past and present. History becomes something dynamic, open to reinterpretation and challenge rather than a fixed narrative handed down unchanged.

Queer Visibility and Radical Tenderness

While Unruly Desires engages with complex themes of colonialism and representation, it is equally an exhibition about intimacy and human connection. Throughout Gupta and Singh's work, queer desire is depicted not as spectacle or transgression but as something ordinary, beautiful, and deeply human.

Their portraits offer moments of vulnerability, affection, and tenderness that have often been absent from mainstream visual culture. In doing so, they create a powerful counterpoint to historical narratives that have overlooked or suppressed LGBTQ+ lives and experiences.

The exhibition's title itself feels apt. "Unruly desires" suggests feelings and identities that refuse containment, categorisation, or erasure. These works insist on visibility while embracing complexity, ambiguity, and personal truth.

A Timely Exhibition

At a moment when museums and galleries are increasingly examining their collections through more inclusive and critical perspectives, Unruly Desires: Reframing the Past demonstrates the importance of revisiting historical narratives with fresh eyes.

By placing contemporary queer perspectives in conversation with traditional collections, the exhibition reveals how art can challenge inherited assumptions and expand our understanding of both history and ourselves.

Visitors will leave with a renewed appreciation not only for the work of Sunil Gupta and Charan Singh but also for the ways museums can become spaces of dialogue, questioning, and discovery.

Visitor Information

Exhibition: Unruly Desires: Reframing the Past

Venue: Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, Royal Pump Rooms, The Parade, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 4AA

Dates: Now showing until Sunday 6 September 2026

Admission: Free

Located within the historic Royal Pump Rooms, the exhibition offers an opportunity to experience thought-provoking contemporary photography while exploring one of Warwickshire's most significant cultural collections.

For anyone interested in contemporary art, queer histories, photography, or the evolving relationship between museums and the communities they serve, Unruly Desires: Reframing the Past is a compelling and rewarding visit.

The Spirit of Ecstasy - Eleanor Thornton bio

 

 

Most people recognise the elegant silver figure that graces the bonnet of a Rolls-Royce. Known as the Spirit of Ecstasy, it has become one of the most enduring symbols in automotive history. Yet few know the remarkable story of the woman who inspired it, a woman whose family once lived in Royal Leamington Spa.

The Woman Behind the Spirit of Ecstasy: Leamington's Connection to a Motoring Icon

 

Born in London in 1880, Eleanor Thornton, known to her family as Nelly, spent part of her childhood in Leamington after her father, electrical engineer Fred Thornton, moved there to oversee one of the town's most ambitious Victorian projects. During the late 1880s, Leamington embraced the new age of electricity, and Thornton played a key role in bringing electric lighting to the town centre, helping transform the streets, shops and public buildings of the spa town into a modern urban environment.

As a young woman, Eleanor pursued a career as a secretary before finding employment in the emerging world of motoring journalism. Working for the influential publication Car Illustrated, she became the assistant to its editor, John Scott-Montagu, one of Britain's earliest motoring enthusiasts. Their professional relationship eventually developed into a long and complex personal one that would shape the course of her life.

Around this time, motor cars were becoming status symbols, and owners increasingly sought distinctive mascots to personalise their vehicles. When Scott-Montagu acquired a Rolls-Royce, he commissioned artist and sculptor Charles Robinson Sykes to create a unique bonnet ornament. Using Eleanor as his model, Sykes produced a figure known as The Whisper, depicting a woman with a finger raised to her lips.

The collaboration did not end there. In 1911, Sykes created another design inspired by Eleanor—a flowing, forward-leaning female figure whose draped form appeared to capture movement itself. This sculpture evolved into what became known as the Spirit of Ecstasy. Over time, the emblem became inseparable from the Rolls-Royce brand, appearing on generations of vehicles and becoming one of the most recognisable automotive symbols in the world.

Despite her connection to such an enduring icon, Eleanor's own story ended tragically. During the First World War, she was travelling in the Mediterranean when the ship carrying her was attacked and sunk by a German submarine. She lost her life in the disaster, while Scott-Montagu survived. He later commemorated her with a memorial, recognising the devotion and companionship she had shown throughout many years of service and friendship.

Today, visitors to Royal Leamington Spa can discover this fascinating chapter of local history through the town's Blue Plaque programme. The plaque serves as a reminder that behind one of the world's most famous motoring emblems was a real person whose life intersected with innovation, art, social convention and tragedy. It also highlights an unexpected connection between a Warwickshire spa town and one of the greatest luxury automotive brands ever created. 

With thanks to Royal Leamington Spa, Blue Plaques Group. 

 

Leamington Spa's 44th Blue Plaque commemorating Eleanor Thornton

 

Leamington Spa's 44th Blue Plaque, which commemorates Eleanor Thornton, the model used for the worldwide iconic figure on the front of Rolls-Royces.

  

Blue Plaque Honours Leamington Woman Behind the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy

A blue plaque at 24 Charlotte Street in Leamington Spa was unveiled by Town Mayor Cllr Sarah Boad on Thursday, 4 June, in honour of Eleanor Velasco Thornton, also known as “Nelly”, who was the model for the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy emblem, one of the most recognisable symbols in motoring history.

The Blue Plaque Scheme recognises former residents of Royal Leamington Spa who made significant contributions to the town’s history.

The Mayor of Leamington Spa, Cllr Sarah Boad, said:

“The woman seemingly in flight mascot we know for sitting proudly at the front of this prestigious car has a story behind it that brings a fascinating link and history to Leamington Spa.

“The story of this Leamingtonian, was of a bright, independent woman who trained as a secretary, obtained a responsible position working for an automotive journal and went on to work as a Personal Assistant to the Editor, John Scott-Montagu, of Car Illustrated. He was an early car enthusiast and bought a Rolls-Royce and commissioned the sculpture of his muse, Nelly who modelled for this distinctive emblem.

“The Blue Plaque commemorates this famous image of Nelly, a resident of our wonderful town, for future generations.

“The Royal Leamington Spa Town Council’s Blue Plaques Scheme brings together a group of volunteers and statutory bodies dedicated to celebrating the town’s rich history. I wish to thank the Blue Plaque Group for their hard work in ensuring that the inspiration Nelly provided as a model for the iconic Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy is remembered.”

Artist and Flag President, Mo Enright.

 

Meet Mo Enright

Many members of Friends of Leamington Art Gallery will already know Mo Enright as our President, but they may not know the remarkable artistic career that lies behind her long-standing support for the arts in Leamington.

Born and raised in the Hambleton Hills of North Yorkshire, Mo studied Fine Art before completing a Master's degree in the History of Art and Design. She is now a full-time professional artist working from her Warwickshire studio.

Mo's paintings are best known for their evocative use of memory, landscape and the passage of time. Working primarily in oils, she creates richly layered works that draw on personal experience as well as the environments that surround her. For commissioned projects, she carefully considers the character of a site and will often adapt her approach and materials to suit the setting.

Over the years, her work has found its way into private and corporate collections across the world and she has been recognised through inclusion in Who's Who in Art.

One of Mo's most significant local commissions can be seen at St Mary's Church, Leamington Spa. Created between 2001 and 2002, The Easter Story consists of two large-scale paintings positioned on either side of the altar. The semi-abstract works explore the themes of Christ's death and resurrection through dramatic contrasts of colour, light and form.

The commission was awarded a Leamington Society Golden Jubilee Award in 2003 and continues to be admired for the way it complements the architecture of the church while offering a powerful visual interpretation of the Easter narrative.

As both an accomplished artist and a passionate advocate for the visual arts, Mo has made an important contribution to the cultural life of Warwickshire. We are delighted to have her as President of Friends of Leamington Art Gallery and grateful for her continued support of our work.

Waiting - series of 6 paintings

This series of six paintings is about time and the concept of time in a child's mind. The concept of time to a young child is very different to that of an adult. For the child, time appears to pass at a snail's pace and as in this case allows much time for curiosity, impatience and naughtiness to ensue.

At this rehearsal session a small child waits behind a makeshift screen for her turn to step from behind and present her performance piece. Waiting - the minutes seem like hours, curiosity gets the better of patience - just one little peep, or two. Waiting patiently or impatiently is, in this case,  conducive to mischievousness. The temporary stage curtain is not up to this kind of treatment and soon departs from its moorings. One turn in the wrong direction leads to unavoidable entanglement. A young child aware of her misbehaviour can exit the scene extremely quickly.

Mo Enright at ‘Waiting’ exhibition. 

Legacy (Triptych)

These panels endeavour to make a statement about the/my carbon footprint. They depict my concern about the indiscriminate felling of trees, the destruction of the forests and the ultimate damage caused to the environment worldwide. We need paper, we need books, but do we need so much and so many? Millions of books are printed every year and hundreds of thousands are sold, however, many, many thousands remain unsold and are returned to the publishers for pulping. A large percentage of books will never be read. Of course paper is just a minuscule part of the problem, but a part nevertheless. The trees, the forests, are our life support, what are we doing abusing them in this way?

Legacy by Mo Enright- triptych

 

Legacy Triptych by Mo Enright

 

 The Easter Story

The oil painted panels situated on the East Chancel wall in the Sanctuary of St Mary’s Church Leamington Spa, were commissioned in 2000 and the whole project took approximately two years to complete. The paintings nestle in the arched recesses either side of the altar and tower up to 579cm high by 109cm wide culminating in a Lancet Arch at the apex.

The paintings show, in a semi-abstract idiom, a visual depiction of some of the momentous events in the Christian calendar leading up to Holy Week. The artist's aim was to blend the new art work with the existing artefacts of the Leonardesque Last Supper of the reredos, up through the painted panels to the large stained glass window of the Ascension.The work was dedicated by the Bishop of Coventry on the 10th February 2002

The Easter Story by Mo Enright.