CULTURE VULTURE

Long live the Southsea Dinosaur! By Emma Beatty

Do you remember the Southsea Dinosaur? The 16-metre-high, scrapwood statue that loomed over Southsea Common back in 2010? Sadly, it burnt down because of an electrical fault but locals never forgot its unique amiable character. Now there’s a newly-commissioned bronze “omnisaurus” by the same Welsh artists, Heather Peak and Ivan Morison, near the original on Southsea Common. The new piece is quite a bit smaller and sits atop a fossil Portland-stone plinth, totalling 1.4 metres high. A plaque connects you to an augmented reality experience via your smartphone – revealing a fullsize digital rendering of the original artwork. “More than 12,000 local residents joined an independently created Facebook group called ‘RIP Southsea Dinosaur’ when Luna Park tragically and mysteriously burned down in 2010 and since summer 2020, a Crowdfunder has raised £10,000 to build our bronze replica of the goliath,” said Joanne Bushell, Director, of Aspex, the city art gallery that co-ordinated the project. Also at Aspex, in its Gunwharf gallery, you’ve got until 10 October to see its show of emerging artists –Emergency 2021 - a diverse mix of installation, video, sculpture and photography blending deft humour and style with dabs of sober politics and pathos. After that, Aspex rolls out its annual recent-graduate Award show, Platform 2021 (22 Oct-23 Dec). This year’s entries include sculpture, installation, film, photography, print, drawing, painting and collage. One young artist will be nominated for a £2,000 bursary.

On Portsmouth High Street, Jack House Gallery is bringing some LA cool to the city in collaboration with the pop artist Derek Boshier, Images of Los Angeles (9 Oct-13 Nov). He now lives in Los Angeles and suggested doing the show because of the large number of expat British artists living and working in LA with whom he is friends. He said: “All the artists in this exhibition live in Los Angeles and work in very varied media. I introduced the theme of images of Los Angeles. All who did not originate from America have interesting stories to tell. Graham Moore for example lived in Gosport and later in Southsea. He worked in Portsmouth Dockyard, where he trained as rigger but immediately after that went to art college and is now a successful digital graphic designer and teacher. Philip Vaughn went to Chelsea School of Art (as did Penny Slinger) and studied sculpture. Swimming with Travis by Adam de Boer, To cut a long story short with hisfrom the Images of LA show sculpture skills he built a 40-foot boat and sailed it from Britain to America where in California he still sails.” There are 22 artists on the show, most of whom have contributed two pieces fixed in size to 8” x 9.5”. And finally, it’s getting dark, so watch out for We Shine Portsmouth (18-21 Nov), the city’s “first major light festival” set up to develop the city’s creative industries and help promote those working within them. City landmarks will be lit with one-off, “awe-inspiring artworks” designed by local artists and some nationally renowned ones too.

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LOOKING AFTER PROPERTIES WITH A RICH HISTORY

Chinneck Shaw’s property management team gets to work with a fascinating array of owners and George Langton is a case in point. He has a passion for the past and the two properties that he owns in Eastney are steeped in local history. The former Cumberland Tavern and the site where the famous Birdcage Club once stood are now home to flats managed by Chinneck Shaw.

George explained: “The Cumberland Tavern dates back to 1937 and it was one of five or six large pubs built in Portsmouth including the Good Companion and one in Granada Road in Southsea.

“During the Second World War, Canadian soldiers were billeted in Bransbury Park and they used to use the clubroom at the back of the pub. “When the clubroom was demolished and the panelling was taken off the walls, we found cut throat razors that must have been hidden there during a police raid or something.” The Birdcage Club is still talked about in reverential tones more than 50 years after the

last band played there. The Who, Pink Floyd, Rod Stewart, David Bowie and Jimmy James and the Vagabonds are just some of the musical greats who graced the stage In just two short years from 1965 to 1967, the club became a magnet for bands on the rise and the venue drew crowds from across the city. Sadly the building eventually burned down. Joseph Court now stands in its place - and a blue plaque reminds us of its remarkable place in music history. As a man with so much time for the past, it seems only fitting that George chose Chinneck Shaw to manage his 18 flats. “They are one of the oldest firms still trading in Portsmouth and I am very happy with the way they look after my properties. “I’ve always been fascinated with the history of Portsmouth and its buildings - you learn something new every day,” he said. Chinneck Shaw Director Neil Shaw, said: “Music, history and culture play such an important role in the fabric of our city. “The Bird Cage has an important place in the history of the city and helped many of the top stars of the sixties to perform in front of an appreciative audience. “We’ve just had the wonderful Victorious Festival which brought thousands of music lovers to the city and helps to make it the vibrant place we all know and love. “Increasingly when people are deciding where to put down roots they want to know they are living in a place that has a cultural heart. The Bird Cage may be part of our history but the current music venues in the city ensure Southsea continues to hit the right note.”

Neil Shaw

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These thoughts are purely from the author, Mr Paul M Lee-Bapty, Dip FD Affil RSH, Managing Director Mayfields Funeral Directors

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