The first ever exhibition of new photography to be exhibited at Stonehenge, opening on 15th February the exhibition will showcase the work of three emerging artists under 25 as they explore the contemporary meaning of ancient stone circles.
As part of English Heritage’s youth engagement programme Shout Out Loud, and in collaboration with national arts charity Photoworks, Echoes: Stone Circles, Community and Heritage offers young artists a platform to creatively reinterpret prehistoric places as they engage with their communities and consider their relevance to young people today. Drawing inspiration from stone circles around England, the artists use photography to challenge perceptions of heritage, foster belonging, and uncover untold stories.
Stonehenge is perhaps the most famous stone circle, making it a fitting site for this exhibition, however the British Isles are home to over 900, including 14 cared for by English Heritage. This exhibition focuses on three remarkable stone circle sites —Arbor Low, Nine Ladies, and Kingston Russell—chosen independently by the artists from over 250 free-to-enter sites managed by the charity that span thousands of years of history. The artists’ images of these ancient landscapes offer unique perspectives on heritage, identity, and community, reflecting a new generation’s search for connection and belonging.
“It’s so exciting to see how these talented young artists have brought these ancient sites to life in such personal and powerful ways. Through their work, they show us how stone circles still connect the past with the present, linking personal histories to community and memory to belonging. These sites, once places where people came together, continue to inspire us as symbols of connection, belonging, and meaning.”
English Heritage’s prehistorian Dr. Jennifer Wexler
“We are delighted to partner with English Heritage to bring the work of these three young artists to such an iconic location where so many people will experience the view from their lens this year. The project offers a new way to look at prehistoric sites, through the medium of photography and how young people today view these landscapes.”
Juliette Buss, Head of Learning and Engagement at Photoworks
Featured Stone Circles and Artists
Yuxi Hou – Arbor Low, Derbyshire: Capturing Community Spirit: Yuxi Hou’s photographs capture the community spirit of Arbor Low in Derbyshire. For thousands of years, this ancient site has hosted rituals, celebrations, and moments of connection. Hou sensitively portrays the enduring bonds between the stones and those who find solace, celebration, and belonging there today.
“Arbor Low is more than a historic monument, It is a living space where traditions like paganism, shamanism, and contemporary spiritual practices intersect, fostering a unique community.”
says Hou.
Sally Barton – Nine Ladies, Derbyshire: The Stones are ours: Sally Barton’s work draws inspiration from the stone circle’s legend of nine women turned to stone for dancing on the Sabbath, delving into themes of ritual, femininity, and resistance. Her photographs celebrate the enchantment of these landscapes, while also confronting the cultural and class barriers that can limit some children’s access to such sites. By collaborating with local schools, Barton empowered students to design their own imaginative stone circles, inviting them to engage with and reinterpret this rich cultural heritage
“Women dancing as an act of resistance—what’s more magical than that?”
Sally Barton
Serena Burgis – Kingston Russell, Dorset: Kingdoms of Scattered Stones: British-Thai artist Serena Burgis explores identity and belonging through the mysterious Kingston Russell stone circle, engaging the local South Asian community in her work. Burgis reflects on her heritage as a second-generation mixed-race woman, weaving personal and historical narratives.
“I am inspired by processes of being and becoming, this project is a form of excavation or unearthing, drawing connections between the tactility of the stones and marks found in family and library archives.”
Serena Burgis
Danit Ariel, Curator, Photoworks said,
“We are so proud of these three talented artists for the way they’ve invited audiences to reflect on the relationship between people and place. The bodies of work are diverse in photographic approach, but all offer playful insights into a new generation of artists grappling with heritage.”
Kirsty McCarrison, Senior Youth Engagement Manager for Shout Out Loud said,
“We are delighted with the work created of these three talented artists. Our youth engagement programme empowers young people to find contemporary relevance within our shared heritage and express their perspectives creatively. This exhibition perfectly encapsulates this and showcases a collaborative and sensitive approach to community in relation to these wonderful free to enter sites”.
Echoes: Stone Circles, Community and Heritage, 15th February – 7th September 2025
Stonehenge Visitor Centre
Admission is free to Stonehenge ticket holders, English Heritage and National Trust Members and Local Residents Pass Holders. Book your tickets online at www.english-heritage.org.uk and save 15%.
About the artists
Serena Burgis is a British-Thai visual artist and photographer currently based in Dorset. Working across performative and contemporary documentary photography, her creative approaches remain intuitive, inviting poetry, portraiture and landscape into her diaristic practice. In recent years, Burgis’ work has been heavily influenced by notions of culture and heritage as she continues to reflect on her intersectional identities as a second-generation mixed-race woman. In these explorations she has become increasingly fascinated by notions of the unseen and the imagined. @serena.burgis
Yuxi Hou (b.2004) is a documentary visual storyteller born in Beijing, China and is currently based in Nottingham. As a new immigrant and young adult, she is constantly reflecting on her marginalised position in society, exploring themes such as growth, identity, migration, memories and family through a sensitive account of human interactions in distinct communities. @ciciyx
Sally Barton has a socially engaged practice that has been shaped by her childhood in Yorkshire. From the legacies of industry to its breath-taking landscape, she explores the relationship between land, labour and gender. At the heart of her practice is a love for stories, community and making. There is a legacy of craft and creation in Barton’s family, from Sheffield steel mills to truck garages at Orgreave, and her work explores a hyper-feminine approach to material and making, in contrast to these male dominated trades. Barton currently works out of OOF Gallery Studios in London. She is an alumni of Chelsea College of Arts and Barbican Young Visual Arts Group. She is a tutor for the Outreach department at University of the Arts London, engaging with young people across the capital. @bartonmade
