North Kent College art student Robyn Lise Payne has successfully exhibited her work at the prestigious UAL (University of the Arts London) Origins Creatives 2026 exhibition at London's renowned Mall Galleries.
Robyn, a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art, Design and Communication student, was selected to exhibit her Final Major Project, Narratives: Connections Across Time, after it was chosen by UAL Awarding Body curator Calum Hall from more than 600 submissions. Her selection secured a place among some of the UK's most promising emerging creative talents.
Narratives: Connections Across Time is a striking three-part folding screen that explores how our connections to stories and memories evolve through our lived experiences.
Speaking about her work, Robyn said: "For my final piece, I intended to explore our connections to narratives, and how they evolve through our lived context. In the form of a folding screen - a historic narrative device in Japanese art - I have represented the historic past that the screens originated in by using only cobalt blue and titanium white. For the recent past, I centred my own memories in an expressive interpretation of childhood wonder and the forming of my identity. The grey heron acts as a connecting symbol between the two sides, starting as a solitary figure which then takes flight, to contrast how we interpret past narratives compared to forming our own memories and individual narrative identity."
Origins Creatives is UAL Awarding Body's flagship annual exhibition, celebrating outstanding work from students studying creative qualifications across the UK. Held at the Mall Galleries from 15 to 18 July 2026, the exhibition featured exceptional artwork alongside live performances, short films and interactive creative events.
Robyn's participation in the exhibition is a significant achievement and reflects the creativity, dedication and talent she has demonstrated throughout her studies at North Kent College.
Everyone at North Kent College is extremely proud of Robyn and her success. Showcasing her work at such a prestigious national exhibition marks an important milestone in her creative journey, and we look forward to seeing what she achieves next.
Find out more about Art courses available at North Kent College.