This exhibition challenges the traditional view of Emperor Nero as a ruthless and eccentric tyrant and follows the young ruler as he navigated a divided society and momentous events in the history of Rome.

Our contribution focuses on the path and destruction caused by the devastating fire that raged through Rome during emperor Nero's reign. The multi-projector installation frames a section of iron grating pulled from the ashes of Rome.

We worked in collaboration with the British Museum team and lombaert studio to craft a selection of illustrated scenes that helped depict Rome as it would have been during Emperor Nero’s reign. A stylised map, projected onto textured setworks, helps add context to the illustrations of the city. Accompanied by key captions, we see the fire spread day-by-day as it tears through the heart of the Roman Empire.

One of the biggest challenges we are all facing right now is how to develop creative solutions in a post-Covid world, and we worked closely with the project team to create a large-scale, evocative and theatrical installation that worked to optimise visitor flow. Providing multiple layers of interpretation that can be viewed from a variety of angles and distances with consideration for accessibility and safety, was at the forefront of our creative process.