To say that Blenheim Palace is grand is an understatement: It’s epic. Entering the estate, with its stunning view of the open fields and humongous 18th-century mansion looming at the back, one feels like they have slipped into the opening credits of cult TV drama Downton Abbey.
The Palace, built in 1704 by architect Sir John Vanbrugh and designated by the UN as a World Heritage site in 1987, is the home of the newly established Blenheim Art Foundation, which was launched last week with the largest ever UK exhibition of works by the Chinese artist and dissident Ai Weiwei.