Alec Boreham and Francesco Vitali share a deep appreciation of classical art, music and architecture. As artist duo Alec & Franz they use digital tools to transform meticulous line drawings of historical buildings into sensory experiences. Particularly drawn to the ornate and dramatic characteristics of the Baroque era, they respond to present-day challenges with immersive installations that transcend time and space.
Following their 2024 launch exhibition at Bermondsey Project Space, they return to London with an expanded site specific iteration at Boston Manor House to pay homage to the heritage of this lesser-known architectural gem alongside instantly recognisable landmarks.
The historical Jacobean house is remarkable not only for surviving two world wars, but also for being built under a woman’s guidance more than four centuries ago. Privately owned until the 1920s, when its entire contents and extensive art collection were sold off, it was opened as a public park in 1924 and reopened following extensive restoration in 2023.
The artists bring the house to life with a body of works that ranges from original line drawings and floating prints to large scale panels and interactive installations. A new series directly inspired by the house’s exterior transforms one of the rooms into a visual sanctuary, while another is dedicated to the synthesis of architecture and music.
Alec & Franz are pleased to present a collaboration with JCA London Fashion Academy. Set up by luxury shoe designer Professor Jimmy Y.K. Choo OBE, JCA is located in a wing of Boston Manor House. Students were invited to respond to Floating Architectural Spaces with designs that manifest the interconnection between art and fashion, and the architecture that inspires both.
A separate chapter of the project is dedicated to the late Queen Elizabeth II on the 100th anniversary of her birth. Her life is celebrated with a display of vibrant prints based on the hues she favoured during her reign. The monochromes at either end reminding us of the human condition shared by all across nationalities, class and religion.
Floating Architectural Spaces opens with an evening reception on Friday 11 September and coincides with the Open House Festival 2026 from 12 to 20 September, with further details to be announced.
Alec & Franz began their collaboration in 2019, when they worked together for the Baroque opera Castor et Pollux by Jean-Philippe Rameau. Staged at the Warsaw Chamber Opera in November 2021 and broadcast on Polish National Television TVP in April 2022, they were nominated for best scenography at the Polish Music Theatre Award Jan Kierpura 2022.
Alec Boreham graduated from University College Hospital in central London and has been Charge Nurse in the Endoscopy Department at University College Hospital in London since 2022. The same year he won the Alexander Thomson Society Award for his graphite drawings of urban landscapes and architectural structures. He attended the London College of Printing from 2000-02 and read Architectural History at the University of Oxford.
Francesco Vitali studied at San Francisco State University’s Theatre Arts Department in 1994/95 and graduated with honours from the Brera Academy of Fine Arts (Set Design) in 1996. Professional highlights include a public competition organised by the European Union Teatro Massimo Foundation in Palermo in 2000, the Jan Kiepura Award for his work with the Warsaw Chamber Opera (2021- 2024) as well as international recognition for his 2008 art film Voluptas Dolendi i Gesti del Caravaggio (The Gestures of Caravaggio) and his 2018 documentary Villa Visconti Borromeo Litta.
Founded in 2021 by luxury shoe designer Professor Jimmy Y.K. Choo OBE, JCA London Fashion Academy was born from a bold vision: to redefine fashion education for the next generation of designers.
Professor Choo identified a critical gap in traditional training. Graduates often left with strong creative skills but lacked the commercial knowledge to launch and sustain their own fashion labels. JCA was established to bridge that gap, offering an education that blends creativity with entrepreneurship.
At JCA, students are not only taught how to design; they’re empowered to build brands, lead businesses, and shape the future of the fashion industry from day one.
Boston Manor House is a Jacobean House built for Lady Mary Reade in 1623 and later owned by the Clitherow family from the 1670s until the 1920s. It is now open to the public from Tuesday – Sunday every week. The beautifully restored historic interiors, including breathtaking original ornate plasterwork, are joined by two community exhibition galleries, meeting rooms and an attractive modern café.
Boston Manor House reopened to the public in July 2023 after a five-year restoration, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other funders.
The House has not been restored to just one period. Instead, each room reflects the style with the strongest surviving evidence, resulting in a mix of 17th, 18th, and 19th-century interiors that showcase its rich history. The House has been conserved, restored and refurbished so it can enjoy a sustainable future, be appreciated by a wider audience, and be removed from the Heritage At Risk Register.