Visually striking

Artist David Appleyard has created VOTUM at Roman Vindolanda, a temporary artwork that transforms ancient symbols of protection into powerful collective gestures. 

Developed during Appleyard’s residency with the Vindolanda Trust in early 2025, VOTUM forms part of The Land We Walk On, a three-year programme supported by Newcastle University which invites artists to respond to the Trust’s collections and pioneering climate research.

In Roman Britain, protective symbols were used to ward off the malus oculus (evil eye presented as votive offerings and inscribed into everyday objects. Appleyard reinterprets this practice through six newly created symbols, each responding to the global climate crisis.

Large scale visually striking ground level  installations will unfold across the archaeological site at Vindolanda, with one symbol at a time appearing in a chosen location before disappearing to make way for the next. Each temporary symbol leaves no physical trace, echoing the fragility of both votive offerings and the landscapes they inhabit. In addition to the physical installations, a film will capture the participatory process of realising the symbols; a contemporary reimagining of a votive gesture, showcasing camaraderie and the impact of collective action. 

Constructed from mirrored interlocking shields, fabricated in Sheffield, and referencing the Roman Army’s testudo (tortoise) formation, VOTUM is both performance and installation. The shields’ reflective surfaces mirror the Northumberland sky and landscape, while confronting the viewer directly, holding a mirror to humanity’s complicity in environmental change. VOTUM becomes both warning and offering: a signal to the gods, and a contemporary act of resistance.

All six symbols have been inspired by ancient artefacts in the Vindolanda collection. These original objects will be displayed in a specially curated exhibition inside the museum, establishing a dialogue between the Roman past and Appleyard’s contemporary reinterpretations.

Belief, protest and hope

“I was drawn to the ways Roman superstition used symbols as protection, layering meaning and belief into physical form,” said David Appleyard. “With VOTUM, I wanted to echo that urgency, using objects and collective gestures to reflect our current moment, where belief, protest, and hope are bound up with the realities of climate change.”

Appleyard’s practice centres on storytelling through objects and installations. Infused with myth, fable and wit, his projects span sculpture, architectural interventions, light installations, and participatory works. At the core lies an exploration of how history, superstition, and human behaviour shape our understanding of the present.

Professor James Annesley, Associate Dean, Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Newcastle University, said: “As champions of the creative arts and as long standing collaborators  with Vindolana, we’re really proud to support Votum.”

“Hosting contemporary art at Vindolanda allows us to see our site through new and exciting perspectives,” said Morag Iles, Contemporary Art Curator at the Vindolanda Trust. “Projects like VOTUM create opportunities for existing visitors to connect with the collection in fresh ways, while also inspiring new audiences to explore the archaeology and heritage of Hadrian’s Wall. It is a vital way for us to bridge past and present, and to show how the ancient world continues to spark creativity and dialogue today.”

VOTUM is on show at Vindolanda until 2nd November.

The Land We Walk On is supported by The John Ellerman Foundation, Arts Council England, and Newcastle University.

Press release adapted with thanks to Vindolanda