Action Hero

From Ashes

Our city is buried under ash. Can we recover it?

For the past 5 months, Action Hero have worked with local artists and residents from all over the city to construct a paper model version of Leeds. Hundreds of people have sat together at workshops and build-a-thons, carefully constructing all our tiny buildings, streets and homes by hand.

This November, the paper city will sit in Leeds City Museum, covered in ash. You are invited to help carefully and delicately excavate it, to see what we might find. The installation will be open to the public on the 28-29th November.

From Ashes is a meditative journey reflecting on the future of our cities in the shadow of a changing world, and a tender act of repair and recovery.

About the artist.

Action Hero is an interdisciplinary art collaboration formed in 2005 by Gemma Paintin and James Stenhouse. Their projects tour globally, creating structures for people to experience alternative ways of being together. Their work spans performance, sound, and installation, exploring what it means to be human now.

Access.

The installation will be on the first floor of Leeds City Museum. Full access info for the venue is on their website. Audience members must be 10+ to participate, and all ages to watch.

From Ashes was originally co-produced by 21st Century Museum in Kanazawa (JP) and Forest Fringe (UK). UK version supported by Bristol City Council Imagination Fund, Arts Council England, Compass Festival & M Shed.

Who is this for?

This is a delicate work for people to actively engage with, gently and patiently, asking us to reflect on the fragility of our cities.

 

“Rewarding, connecting and inspirational…”

“A wonderful concept and really addictive!”

• Audience Feedback, From Ashes in Bristol, Feb 2026