John Walter: SOUTHCOTTIAN

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.

Click here to Visit Website

Exhibitions & Projects

  • The Valley: Art on the border   a cultural history of Marsland

    The Valley: Art on the border a cultural history of Marsland

    The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon

    24 May 2025 to 05 July 2025

    View details

  • Emma Stibbon RA: Melting Ice | Rising Tides

    Emma Stibbon RA: Melting Ice | Rising Tides

    The Burton at Bideford art gallery and museum

    10 May 2025 to 05 July 2025

    View details

  • North Devon Arts: Spring into Summer Exhibition

    North Devon Arts: Spring into Summer Exhibition

    The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon

    31 May 2025 to 12 July 2025

    View details

  • Get Me To The Church On Time

    Get Me To The Church On Time

    Ilfracombe Museum

    23 June 2025 to 17 August 2025

    View details

  • Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes

    Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes

    The Box, Plymouth

    24 May 2025 to 07 September 2025

    View details

  • Digging Deeper: Celebrating volunteers in North Devon's archaeology

    Digging Deeper: Celebrating volunteers in North Devon's archaeology

    The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon

    26 July 2025 to 04 October 2025

    View details

  • Treasures of North Devon

    Treasures of North Devon

    The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon

    19 July 2025 to 11 October 2025

    View details

  • Six Weeks To Go

    Six Weeks To Go

    Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum

    31 March 2025 to 31 October 2025

    View details

  • Kingsbridge 1939   1945 : The Image and the Place

    Kingsbridge 1939 1945 : The Image and the Place

    Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum

    31 March 2025 to 31 October 2025

    View details

  • Battle of Britain Anniversary Exhibition and Talk Series

    Battle of Britain Anniversary Exhibition and Talk Series

    Exmouth Museum and Heritage Centre registered charity 291311

    08 April 2025 to 01 November 2025

    View details

  • Jyll Bradley: Running and Returning

    Jyll Bradley: Running and Returning

    The Box, Plymouth

    05 April 2025 to 02 November 2025

    View details

  • Coastal Threads: Textile Art

    Coastal Threads: Textile Art

    Fairlynch Museum Budleigh Salterton

    01 May 2025 to 02 November 2025

    View details

  • Jyll Bradley: Life and Influences

    Jyll Bradley: Life and Influences

    The Box, Plymouth

    05 April 2025 to 02 November 2025

    View details

  • Wild

    Wild

    Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery

    26 July 2025 to 04 January 2026

    View details

  • Carolyn Lefley: Ancient Sea

    Carolyn Lefley: Ancient Sea

    Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery

    29 July 2025 to 25 January 2026

    View details