John Walter: SOUTHCOTTIAN
Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery
When: 19 November 2021 to 30 January 2022
Where: Making History Gallery
Time: 10am - 5pm
Cost: N/A
Suitable for: Any age
SOUTHCOTTIAN (2019) is video footage of gameplay recorded inside artist John Walter’s virtual reality game of the same name, inspired by Devon-born Joanna Southcott (1750-1814). Known as the Exeter Prophetess, Southcott came to prominence after she published texts of her visions and prophecies, gathering more than 14,000 cult followers.
Walter’s game is an immersive form of storytelling about Southcott’s phantom pregnancy at the age of 64, which she believed to be the new messiah. Combining digital animation, 3D scanning, religious memes and an explosion of visual mash-ups, Walter collages together a surreal Where’s Wally? quest to find Joanna Southcott, presenting her phantom pregnancy as an allegory of Brexit.
This commission draws on RAMM’s extensive collection of material about Southcott, which includes her autographs and wax seals, books written about her visions, gifts she received from followers, and a patchwork quilt made by her in 1810. SOUTHCOTTIAN will be installed in RAMM’s Making History gallery, where visitors will be able to see certain objects that have inspired the game on display.
The SOUTHCOTTIAN game is available to download online and play for free through VR headsets.
Exhibitions & Projects
-
Earth Action North Devon: Explorers Create!
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
11 October 2025 to 22 November 2025
-
50 Years of the Signpost Magazine
Bampton Heritage and Visitor Centre
18 September 2025 to 20 December 2025
-
The Friends Annual Open Exhibition
The Burton at Bideford
15 November 2025 to 21 December 2025
-
Dinosaurs, Dragons and Monsters
Bill Douglas Centre
29 August 2025 to 23 December 2025
-
Northern Devon Innovates
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
25 October 2025 to 03 January 2026
-
Wild
Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery
26 July 2025 to 04 January 2026
-
_web.jpg&w=600&h=400&zc=1)
William Cobbing: Dumb mud, I love you
The Burton at Bideford
11 October 2025 to 10 January 2026
-
Remember Respond Resist
The Box, Plymouth
04 October 2025 to 11 January 2026
-
Beyond Barriers: Diverse Threads of Resilience
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
29 November 2025 to 17 January 2026
-
Carolyn Lefley: Ancient Sea
Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery
29 July 2025 to 25 January 2026
-
This is me Call for entries: Documentary Photography Open 2026
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
01 December 2025 to 11 April 2026
-
Call for entries Young Digital Documentary Photography Open
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
01 December 2025 to 11 April 2026
