Bloomsbury murals at Berwick Church, East Sussex

Walking through the village of Berwick in the South Downs you might pass through the churchyard and not even consider looking inside the small church. This would undoubtedly be a mistake because hidden inside this unassuming building is a real feast for the eyes. The walls are adorned with colourful murals painted by artists in the Bloomsbury group. Many of the paintings are by Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell (sister of Virginia Woolf), who lived just a few miles away at Charleston Farmhouse. They were inspired by their travels to Italy where they had seen the mosaics at Ravenna and frescoes by Piero della Francesca at Arezzo. When Bishop Bell of Chichester invited them to paint the inside of the church they must have relished the opportunity, leaving few walls and panels untouched.

A range of biblical scenes are portrayed by the murals, including the Crucifixion (The Victory of Calvary, 1944) by Duncan Grant, featuring a suitably avant-garde choice of a blue cross on an orange background. Vanessa Bell was given the task of painting scenes such as The Annunciation (1941) and The Nativity (1941), which have a gentle and serene quality. Her son, Quentin - whose painting style was distinctly more Victorian - undertook paintings in the Chancel, such as the Sacraments, plus The Supper at Emmaus (1944), located at the east end of the north aisle. Family and friends were also involved, often posing as models for the biblical characters. This was typical of the Bloomsbury groups' method of supporting each others work. When Vanessa's paintings of Saints were sadly vandalised in 1962, other members of the group repainted these panels on the Pulpit. Duncan Grant lovingly decorated it with vases of flowers and fruit based on designs by Vanessa's daughter, Angelica.

Painted during the Second World War, the murals feature a few military references. Yet the artists were keen to create an optimistic feeling in the church, wishing to overcome the horrors of the war. This atmosphere is apparent when you step inside the building and stare in awe at the heavenly images that surround you. But despite the joyful nature of the decorative scheme there is a disjointed look to the set of murals as a whole, mostly due to the artists' differing styles. Moreover, some of the paintings appear whimsical or dreamy, while others are starkly realistic. For some viewers this sense of contrast will be part of the appeal of the murals, mirroring the unconventional characteristics of these artists. Whatever your opinion of the Bloomsbury set, and their artistic merits, this unique church is certainly worth a visit regardless.

The church is free to enter between 10am and dusk, dependant upon any services taking place. Parking is available in the small church car park, or on the land opposite the Cricketers' Arms. It is easy to combine a visit to the church with an excursion to nearby Charleston Farmhouse - open Wednesday to Sunday from March to October.

Address: St Michael and All Angels Church, Berwick village, East Sussex BN26 6SR.

Two remarkable London sculptural installations - The Rising Tide and The Tower of Babel

There are few cities in the world where you can witness life-size horse sculptures being submerged by a tidal river, or stare at miniature bone china shops piled high in a precarious-looking tower. London is the temporary home of both of these unique sculptural works.

The Rising Tide

Those who wish to see the Thames horse sculptures have only a few days left to do so (they are in-situ in Vauxhall until 30th September). Visitors will also have to view them around the time of low tide to be able to fully glimpse the sculptures before they disappear into the water. Up to two hours either side of low tide will allow this (go to the website www.totallythames.org for more detailed information).

The Rising Tide riverside installation encourges thought about climate change, rising sea levels and the condition of the planet's natural resources. Each of the four horses has an oil pump instead of a head, alluding to the problematic nature of relying on fossil fuels. Two of the horses heads are lowered in a grazing style- as though they are taking oil from the riverbed itself. It is no coincidence that their riders are men in suits, portraying the businessmen or politicians who are sitting back and allowing environmental degradation to happen all around them. The other two riders are children, representing innocent future generations who might suffer as a result of such negligence.

The artist who created these sculptures - Jason deCaires Taylor - has spent much of his working life championing the merits of the earth's waterways. As a diving instructor, naturalist and award-winning underwater photographer his understanding of this environment is second to none. Taylor is most famous for creating the world's first underwater sculpture park off the coast of Grenada. He also co-founded a museum near the coast of Cancun, where over 500 of his sculptural works can be seen submerged beneath the sea.

The Rising Tide was commissioned by Totally Thames - a September-long festival celebrating the river. The cement Shire horses are working horses deliberately chosen to highlight the industrial history of the Thames. They conjure up images of a time when the river was a key resource for manufacturing and transporting goods. Their location is also very appropriate.  Just across the Thames are the Houses of Parliament - where laws are made that impact on the river and the city it supports.

The Rising Tide can be viewed from the riverside walkway next to 87-90 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, London SE1 7TW (nearest station is Vauxhall).

The Tower of Babel

Not too far away is another unique sculptural installation, which is free to view at the V&A. The Tower of Babel is located close to the Grand Entrance of the museum. It is made up of 3000 bone china shops depicting real shop fronts found in the Capital. The artist - Barnaby Barford - cycled over 1000 miles to photograph the shops in each of London's postcodes. He then constructed a 6-metre-high tower, placing the lowest value shops at the bottom, with the higher-end retail outlets towards the top.

Visitors can look closely at the pound shops and bargain stores at the base but struggle to see the ones near the tip of the tower (without borrowing special V&A binoculars). This deliberately mirrors the real-life accessibility of the shops, with the most expensive being out of reach for many. It is a comment on the nature of retail in the Capital and the material aspirations of its consumers. Each of the fine bone china shops, manufactured in Stoke-on-Trent, is available to purchase exclusively from the V&A. Needless to say the high cost of each one, priced between £95 and £6000, is an ironic case of life imitating art!

The Tower of Babel is on display until 1st November in Gallery 50a.

Artwave 2015, East Sussex

Hurry to Sussex for the final weekend of the 2015 Artwave festival!

Sunday 6th September is the last day for viewing art in a fantastic range of East Sussex locations including artists’ homes, studios, gardens and galleries. Over 100 venues are taking part, showcasing works as rich and diverse as the many artists and ideas behind them. This is the perfect opportunity to purchase affordable works of art direct from the makers and sample plenty of tea and cake along the way!

Currently in its 22nd year, the Artwave festival is going from strength to strength, featuring fresh art trails for 2015. The largest of these, the Lewes trail, is surrounded by smaller trails encompassing satellite villages and the coastal towns of Newhaven and Seaford. It’s easy to see the inspiration behind much of the creativity that takes place here, with the South Downs or stunning seascapes as the backdrop for these idyllic locations.

The Artwave Favourite Awards have been newly introduced this year, allowing visitors to vote for their favourite artists and venues. Visit www.artwavefestival.org for more details.

Sculpture on the Suffolk coast

I recently had the opportunity to view one of Antony Gormley’s sculptures while visiting family in Suffolk. The seaside town of Aldeburgh is the temporary location for one of five installations (called LAND) produced by the artist to celebrate 50 years of The Landmark Trust. Gormley’s life-size human figure stands precariously on top of the Martello tower at the Slaughden end of the town. The tower was built in the early 1800s when it was feared that Napoleon might invade, but has since been renovated by the Trust for use as holiday accommodation. Three of the four remaining sculptures are also located on coastal sites. They are intended to convey an environmental message in addition to highlighting The Landmark Trust’s achievements in rescuing and maintaining old or unusual buildings. In true Gormley fashion the cast-iron figures are symbols of our industrial past, exploring the relationship between man and nature. 

The Aldeburgh figure looks out across the North Sea with folded arms as if to suggest it is defending this spot, thus mirroring the original purpose of the tower. Yet there is a more 21st-century reason for this act of defiance – the need to repel the advances of the sea itself. It acts as a poignant reminder that coastal erosion and flooding can pose a serious risk for the local population in this area. With location choices like this, Gormley raises questions about climate change, asking us to consider how humans might respond as the “inheritors of an Industrial Revolution” (artist’s own words)…a sobering thought for a day out at the sea.

Situated further up the shore is another sculpture by a well-known British artist. The beach between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness is home to Maggi Hambling’s notorious Scallop. The undulations of the stainless steel structure famously catch the light in a way that evokes “wings rising in flight, swimming fish and the ripple of waves” (Suffolk Coastal website). Like Gormley’s work this scallop shell encourages a “conversation with the sea” (artist’s own words). Hambling’s design allows a visitor to sit at the centre of the sculpture and “contemplate the mysterious power of the sea.” 

Scallop was placed on this stretch of beach as a tribute to the Lowestoft-born composer Benjamin Britten. Pierced through the steel structure are the words “I hear those voices that will not be drowned.” These words are taken from the opera Peter Grimes, which Britten wrote about the life of a fictional local fisherman. The siting of Scallop is reflective of the inspiration he drew from the sea during many years spent living and working in the area.  

Some feel that Scallop spoils a natural landscape, contesting the siting of the sculpture, which is now owned by the District Council. Since its installation in November 2003 the shell has been vandalised on numerous occasions and had petitions raised against it. Some believe it should be moved to nearby Snape Maltings – home to a renowned concert hall, art galleries, shops and restaurants. However, it is sad to think that works of art like this should only be confined to the spaces of traditional cultural venues. Part of the allure of Scallop is the fact that it is boldly situated amongst the elements – a fitting tribute to a national treasure that is built to withstand winds of up to 100mph.

Those who contest the placement of public art might be reluctant to admit that the extra visitors and income attracted by the works are important for tourism-reliant local economies.  Perhaps the best way to please all parties is to commission pieces that are temporary, such as the aforementioned sculptures by Gormley. A recent competition launched by Snape Maltings may have found a solution to future dilemmas like these. They have asked designers to provide ideas for a child-friendly sculpture that can be taken down and moved around. It is hoped that the finished piece will tour the region – another benefit of a temporary structure. It will also encourage children to interact with the work and pay attention to its surroundings. This idea was inspired by the fact that children have always enjoyed climbing on the sculptures at Snape Maltings – the names Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore hold little resonance with them. It will be interesting to see what design is chosen and how it will be received by a younger, more open-minded, audience.

To follow the progress of the Children’s Viewing Sculpture Competition check this website.

Antony Gormley’s sculpture can be viewed at Aldeburgh’s Martello tower until May 2016. Tours of the roof terrace, allowing closer inspection of the sculpture, plus holiday accommodation inside the tower, can be booked via www.landmarktrust.org.uk.

The four other sites where Gormley’s LAND figures are freely accessible are:

Clavell Tower, Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset
Lundy Island, Bristol Channel
Saddell Bay, Kintyre Peninsula, Scotland
Lengthsman’s Cottage, South Stratford Canal, Warwickshire

Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, West Sussex

One of the nation's best collections of Modern British art can be found nestled among the narrow, historic streets of Chichester. Inside the Grade One-Listed Pallant House, and its contemporary extension, are works by some of the most cherished artists of the last century. Turn a corner and visitors may spot a sleek Barbara Hepworth sculpture; a vibrant Patrick Caulfield painting; or recognise the faces in a famous Peter Blake collage. Yet the thing that impresses more than the big names on show is the way that their works are displayed. When I visited, I never expected to enter the bedroom of a Queen Anne townhouse, complete with four-poster bed, to witness a varied collection of 20th-century still lifes. Nor did I imagine that my attention would be caught by the light reflecting off twisted glass sculptures that appeared in rooms like ghosts. Little did I know that they were part of a series of glass installations by American multimedia artist Michael Petry (see stairwell photograph). This is evidence that Pallant House Gallery prides itself on keeping its displays fresh.

In various rooms curators have highlighted key themes that run through the collections, or have focused on the distinguishing characteristics of a certain bequest. One such donation is the George and Ann Dannatt Gift, which was being exhibited in the older part of the gallery when I visited. Its focus is the works of key figures associated with the St Ives School in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. It is easy to identify the similarities in the paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints by artists such as Sir Terry Frost, Ben Nicholson, Denis Mitchell and George Dannatt himself. The use of geometric shapes and a restricted palette of colours is evident in many of their works. A preoccupation with the Cornish landscape- a usual St Ives trait- is less obvious, mostly due to the abstract nature of these pieces.

Sickert in Dieppe

On my visit to the gallery, the major temporary exhibition was Sickert in Dieppe. It brings together over 80 works associated with British artist Walter Sickert (1860-1942). A Dieppe theme is not usually the focus of Sickert exhibitions- instead they tend to concentrate on his paintings of life in Victorian and Edwardian London. Yet the French seaside resort played a very important role in Sickert's personal life and artistic output. It is where his style and technique evolved, aided by the influence of French Impressionists and other local bohemians. When Sickert first arrived in Dieppe he painted gentile seascapes in the manner of his master, James Abbott McNeill Whistler. Upon meeting Edgar Degas, at the home of friend Jacques-Émile Blanche, he was encouraged to broaden his subject matter to include more lively scenes of town life. Under the instruction of Degas, Sickert began to use preparatory drawings to add greater detail to his work. Additionally he benefitted from adopting the techniques of applying gridlines and squaring-up.

One of the most striking paintings is Sickert's L'Hôtel Royal, Dieppe (1894). It demonstrates a daring palette of colours, which are absent from his early Whistler-style low tonal ranges. The front of the hotel is painted green, contrasting against a purple sky, which cleverly captures the magical effect of the setting sun. Another highlight is Sickert's The Blind Sea Captain (1914) - on show to the public for the first time.

Later works by Sickert are also on display, illustrating the artist's progression away from thick impasto oil painting towards thinner applications of colour. These later works depict rural scenes rather than the townscapes of Dieppe. Sickert's eventual disillusionment with Dieppe can be witnessed through a final return to figurative painting in his portrayal of the town's gambling scene and music halls.

Several small exhibitions usually run alongside the main exhibition at Pallant House Gallery - providing enough to occupy your time for at least half a day. A visit to the small, but good quality, restaurant and specialist bookshop can extend this to a whole day. The courtyard garden adds a further al fresco element. During my visit it was the temporary home of some friendly-looking concrete figures decorated with found objects, such as old ceramics (see photographs). They were the creations of self-taught Indian artist Nek Chand, who opened a popular sculpture park in India called The Rock Garden of Chandigarh.

It costs just £5 (half the normal price) to visit the gallery on Tuesdays. It is also possible to view the collection for free on Thursday evenings (5pm to 8pm), with an additional charge of £5 for temporary exhibitions.

Visit www.pallant.org.uk for further details.

Reflections on the Self at Christie's, Mayfair

Yesterday a new exhibition opened at Christie's in Mayfair with a focus on the art of the self-portrait. Titled Reflections on the Self: From Dürer to Struth it provides a unique in-depth guide to this much loved genre. A very comprehensive e-catalogue can be found on Christie's website discussing the history of the self-portrait and listing works on display or for sale. The price tags will undoubtedly reflect the prominance of the contemporary artists, or the value of the works by past masters, but the exhibition is free to look around.

The show features a photograph of artist Thomas Struth looking upon a self-portrait painted in 1500. The painting by Albrecht Dürer, called Self-Portrait as Christ, is one of the earliest of its kind. It's a striking depiction of a long-haired and bearded Dürer, staring intensely at the viewer in his Christ-like garments. In contrast Struth's portrait only shows him from behind, as he stands deep in thought, gazing at Dürer's painting. By drawing attention to the five-hundred-year-gap between the works, Struth encourages the viewer to reflect upon the historical development of the self-portrait and the significance of an artist's self-awareness.

The development across time of the genre of the self-portrait is a key theme for the rest of the exhibition. It highlights how artists have found new ways to portray themselves over the centuries. These self-expressions have been strongly influenced by changes in culture, politics, technology and the availability of certain art materials. Starting with the development of the flat glass mirror, an evolution in technique can be witnessed as each century brings new innovations like photography, film and digital media. On display are works by famous innovators, Richard Hamilton and Andy Warhol, demonstrating the impact of experimentation.

Such a wide range of styles, encompassing a broad spectrum of artistic movements, makes this a very commendable exhibition. It shows how Rembrandt's prolific output of self-portraits, in various guises, paved the way for subsequent artists to depict themselves in different poses throughout their life times. Moving beyond a grand gesture at the height of an artist's career, it explores the self-portrait as an important tool for self-expression. Indeed, emotions are revealed to all in the expressionist works of Edvard Munch and in the autobiographical masterpieces of post-war artists like Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon.

The many choices that artists can make in how to portray themselves and convey their identity are apparent in this show. While some, like Jenny Saville, have been unafraid to paint their own naked body, others, such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, have found it easier to sculpt just one natural feature-sometimes simply a lone hand. Perhaps the most visually pleasing self-portraits utilise the simplest concepts. An example would be Marcel Duchamp's Self-Portrait in Profile (1963), celebrating the main characteristics of his face in a black silhouette against a coloured paper background.

Overall, Christie's has mounted an enticing display of famous self-portraits. Despite leaning too heavily towards certain artists of the 20th or 21st centuries, this is nevertheless a thorough exploration of the genre.

Location: Christie's Mayfair, 103 New Bond Street, London W1S 1ST

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturdays 12pm to 5pm, closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

The exhibition runs until 5th September 2015. For more information visit www.christies.com.

Visual Arts at Brighton Festival, May 2015

Brighton is a constantly evolving city, absorbing people and ideas from around the world, therefore it seems apt that this year's festival theme is 'migration'. The HOUSE 2015 programme, which runs parallel to the festival and fringe has a similarly appropriate theme of 'edge and shift'.

After sampling several of the art shows I short-listed them for my very own set of awards! Here's my pick of the best, most bizarre and most thought-provoking exhibitions:

Most thought-provoking: Nathan Coley, Portraits of Dissension at The Regency Town House.

The unfurnished rooms and bare walls of The Regency Town House provide a well-matched backdrop for Nathan Coley's new commission. From a distance his works look like architectural models, but upon closer inspection they reveal the effects of political unrest and the aftermath of conflict. Leaning at different angles, metal sculptures (see photograph above) expose the scars of bombs on civilian housing blocks - casualties of a non-specific war. Brighton's own Grand Hotel is portrayed as an empty shell - the physical impact of explosion laid bare. Coley also displays a model of St Paul's Cathedral containing books that allude to the social debates and protests that have taken place there. His intention is to provoke thought and discussion around past events, rather than produce historically accurate depictions of them.

Fans of this Turner Prize shortlisted artist may also wish to see his work inside the oldest surviving building in Brighton. St. Nicholas of Myra church is the temporary home of a light installation by Coley. Here large illuminated letters spell out my favourite quote of the day: "You Imagine What You Desire" (George Bernard Shaw).

Most bizarre: Marcus Coates, Dawn Chorus at Fabrica.

A 14-screen film installation, Dawn Chorus attempts to "explore the relationship between birdsong and the human voice, drawing out similarities between the behaviour of birds and humans". Marcus Coates has cleverly re-created the dawn chorus in a unique and eccentric fashion. He has achieved this by recording bird song, then slowing it down and asking individuals to mimic it. He reverted back to the original tempo produced by birds through speeding up the recording of the humans imitating them. It works surprisingly well. The strangest element is the way that the participants are filmed mimicking bird movement in everyday scenarios, including a man sitting on the bed in his underpants.

Best of the rest: Gauge at Circus Street Market.

Inside the spacious Circus Street Market building lies an interactive weather-themed playground. This is a surreal world where visitors witness water dripping onto a piano and children can't wait to immerse their hands in containers of mud. Water trickles, bubbles and steams in weird-looking vessels, set against the concrete and graffiti of the old market. Meanwhile, the whole experience is being observed and orchestrated by people sitting at laptops. Australian creators Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey have recruited the skills of scientists, artists and musicians to collaborate on this project. They engage the audience in the sounds of water and demonstrate its beauty, therefore encouraging admiration of this versatile natural resource.