2025 National Gallery Artist in Residence

15 January – 5 April 2026

Admission free

Saint Sebastian is a figure who has inspired artists across generations. A Roman soldier who secretly converted to Christianity, he was persecuted for his faith by being shot with arrows. There are 14 depictions of Saint Sebastian in the National Gallery’s collection, by artists from the Pollaiuolo brothers to Gerrit van Honthurst.  

Our 2025 Artist in Residence, ming wong, continues this tradition with a new short film and installation based on the story of his martyrdom.   

wong’s film, called ‘The dance of the sun on the water/Saltatio solis in aqua’, draws on paintings of Saint Sebastian and the landmark film ‘Sebastiane’ (1976) by British filmmaker Derek Jarman, setting the story inside the National Gallery itself.   

Like Jarman, wong brings together objects and ideas from different periods of history. The film features a variety of references from the Renaissance to the present to reimagine the life of this iconic saint.  

Witty, experimental and visually exquisite, ‘The dance of the sun on the water/Saltatio solis in aqua’ powerfully asserts how stories of martyrs resonate today.  

Exhibition supported by

The 2025 National Gallery Artist in Residence is a collaboration with the Contemporary Art Society, generously supported by Suling Mead, who will acquire an artwork produced during the Residency for the National Gallery’s project partner, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery. 

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