towner art gallery
Summer–Autumn 2015 townereastbourne.org.uk
Contents
Summer–Autumn 2015
Page 4 Introduction 3
Every summer we present a major exhibition on an artist who has a strong connection with our collection or location, with recent shows on Eric Ravilious, John Piper and Peggy Angus. This year our summer exhibition is on William Gear, one of the leading British abstract artists and Towner’s Curator from 1958 to 1964. We have called the exhibition The painter that Britain forgot as Gear should be much better known than he currently is in art history. Our ambition is that this large scale retrospective will reposition Gear in his rightful place as one of the most advanced abstract painters in Britain.
Exhibitions & Events 4 Children & Families 8 Young People 10
Page 8
Adults 11 Tours 12 Special events and Culture Trail 13 Visitor Information 14
Cover image: William Gear, Tree, 1947. © the Artist’s Estate. Photographer: Antonia Reeve. Image City Art Centre, Edinburgh
Welcome
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Our summer show is the only exhibition we charge for and all the income from the ticket sales goes towards the continued care of our collection and future acquisitions. William Gear: A Radical View presents Gear’s acquisitions of major British abstract artists to our collection and tells the wonderful and often very funny stories of the challenges he faced in introducing abstraction to Towner and the town. East Sussex Open is going to be great fun this year. We had the largest number of entries and are showing the most artists ever. Photography, sculpture, painting, immersive and participatory installations and a Magnette car doubling up as a cinema, this annual exhibition showcases the exceptional talent we have in East Sussex. With a packed programme of events and activities for all ages and the wonderful exhibitions at our Coastal Culture Trail partners, there is no other place to be than on the South Coast this summer. Emma Morris Executive Director, Towner
Opposite, top: William Gear in studio, 13 Quai des Grands Augustins, Paris, 1949
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Exhibitions & Events
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William Gear 1915-1997: The painter that Britain forgot 18 July–27 September
Exhibitions & Events
William Gear: A Radical View
Now until 31 August, Free
£7 with Gift Aid / £6 / £5 conc. / £3.50 Art Fund members / Free entry to Towner members, and under 16s
Film Two very different film screenings, each in their own way capturing some of the spirit and social context of the 1950s and 1960s when William Gear was pushing boundaries as a curator at Towner.
Associated Events Curators’ Walk and Talk Thurs 13 Aug / 12.30pm / Free with exhibition ticket With co-curators Nathaniel Hepburn and Sara Cooper.
In the centenary of his birth, Towner presents a major retrospective of William Gear, one of the leading abstract British painters of his generation. William Gear, The painter that Britain forgot traces the influence and prolific output of a now little-known painter who was associated with CoBrA in the 1940s and produced some of the most radical and controversial compositions of the 1950s. The exhibition draws together over 100 works representing the different phases of Gear’s oeuvre. They range from his pen and ink drawings and early experiments in colour in the 1930s and 1940s, to the radical, near-monochrome and block abstractions of the 1950s, to a mature, yet playful exuberance in the 1960s. Central to the show is Autumn Landscape, a work that caused a public outcry when awarded the Festival of Britain Purchase Prize in 1951. Image: William Gear, Twin Structure Orange, 1964. © the Artist’s Estate. Private collection, London, courtesy of Whitford Fine Art
Remembering William Gear Sat 29 August / 3pm / £6 / £5 conc. & members William Gear’s son David discusses his father as artist and curator with John McEwen, author of the first monograph on William Gear, and James Coxson, musician, curator and friend. Hosted by Nathaniel Hepburn. Club Abstract – Produced by Melting Vinyl Sat 19 September / Ticketed Back by popular demand, Melting Vinyl and Towner join forces to celebrate the abstract spirit with a night of music and live performance. Save the date and watch our website for more announcements.
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The abstract painter William Gear (1915-1997) was Towner’s Curator from 1958 until 1964.
Festival of Britain Documentaries (1951) Sun 26 July / 3pm / Free but ticketed In 1951, William Gear was invited to produce a work for a major Arts Council exhibition for the Festival of Britain. These two archive documentaries - Festival of London and Brief City – capture the optimism, experiment and adventure at the heart of the Festival.
During this time he added to the diversity and modernity of the permanent collection through the acquisition of paintings by many of the major British Abstract artists of the 1950s and 1960s, including Sandra Blow, Alan Davie, Roger Hilton and Ceri Richards, as well as a large number of prints by both young and established printmakers of the period. So successful was he in increasing the reputation of Towner that in 1962 the Observer newspaper hailed it as the ‘most go-ahead municipal gallery of its size in the country’. This collection display celebrates Gear’s time in charge of the permanent collection and brings together some of his key purchases and acquisitions that demonstrate the important role he played in Towner’s story.
The Rebel (1961) Sun 23 August / 3pm / Free but ticketed In this 1961 comedy, Tony Hancock plays a downtrodden London office clerk who gives up his job to pursue his dream of being an artist. A light-hearted comedy on the one hand; an insightful satire of the art scene in the early 1960s on the other.
Sandra Blow, Painting 1962. © the Artist’s Estate
Exhibitions & Events
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Exhibitions & Events
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East Sussex Open 2015
Ravilious Room
East Sussex Open brings together the best artists and makers from across the region – from Rye and Eastbourne to Brighton & Hove.
Towner holds one of the largest public collections of works by Sussex artist Eric Ravilious (1903-1942). Our permanent Ravilious Room is a dedicated space to admire a selection of his finest watercolours, explore items from our unique archive and browse books on the artist.
11 July –20 September, Free
With a record number of entries, this year’s Open will display original art work by 44 artists and promises something for everyone, from the traditional to the interactive and experimental. Climb inside an old Magnette and watch a film, buy a raffle ticket, make a zine or enter a darkened room papered with correspondence collected over 7 years. The show will also exhibit a range of genres including photography, painting, jewellery, animation, film projection, ceramics, and sculpture, as well as collaborative pieces. The judging panel for this year’s show are guest selectors Jonathan Watkins, Director of Ikon Gallery, Birmingham and awardwinning London-based video artist Saskia Olde Wolbers, along with Towner’s Executive Director Emma Morris. For a full list of exhibiting artists, see: townereastbourne.org. uk/exhibition/east-sussexopen-2015
Mike Leal, Sunday Funfair
Melissa Porter
Guyan Porter
Permanent Display,* Free
The current display includes works such as Dolly Engine, 1934, Kirby Hall Fields No. 1, 1935, and View Through Propeller, 1942. You can also examine illustrations from High Street by JM Richards published by Country Life Ltd and printed by Curwen Press in 1938 and sketches for his watercolour works. Come enjoy his unique views of Sussex, the South Downs, and surrounding areas. The room features specially commissioned cabinets to view and enjoy the Ravilious archive. Copies of a wide range of Ravilious books will also be available for you to read.
Image: Eric Ravilious, Dolly Engine, 1934
* Temporary Closure: the Ravilious Room will be closed from 1 to 11 September inclusive, as we change the display and install our next exhibition in the Collection Gallery. The room will open with a new display on Saturday 12 September. Ravilious fans may be interested in booking our Footsteps of Ravilious walk on Saturday 5 September as an alternative while we close the room for the new exhibition (see pg 12).
Supported by Eastbourne Arts Circle Eastbourne Arts Circle Talks These popular talks look at the lives and work of great painters through the ages. For dates, please see their website: eastbourneartscircle.org.uk
What’s On
Children & Families Paint and Pattern Workshop with artist Hermione Allsopp Wed 29 July / 11am-1pm & 2-4 pm / 5-7 years / £5 We’ll be looking at colour, shape and pattern in the abstract paintings in our exhibitions and playing
8 with composition and colour by working with collage, mixing colours and trying out different ways of using paint with stencils, brushes and sticks.
Flowing Forms Workshop with artist Steven Follen Thurs 30 July / 11am-1pm & 2-4 pm / 8-11 years / £5 Inspired by the streamlined forms of William Turnbull’s sculptures, as seen in
A Radical View exhibition, we will explore making 3D sculptures using wood, wire, plaster and scrim. We will create flowing forms that communicate the power, movement and rhythm of his work. Old clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty and plastered are essential for this workshop.
Describing Colour Workshop with artist Lindsey Smith Wed 12 August / 11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm / All ages / Free – booking required What does blue smell like? What does red taste like? What does the colour green make you think of? Through a series of word-based games, we will create short poems in response to the colours of the William Gear exhibition. Say your poem out loud and it will be uploaded online!
What’s On
Sculptorama! Workshop with artist Annis Joslin Thurs 13 August / 11am1pm & 2pm-4pm / Family workshop / Free – booking required Make mini sculptures inspired by the William Gear exhibitions, then bring them to life in a group animation. You will create a moving dancing backdrop for the animation using a variety of mark making materials.
artworks using a range of materials before photographing and printing a fragment to take home.
(Steven Follen) Mon: Lino, collograph and mono-printing (Hermione Allsopp)
Make a Mini Art Gallery Workshop
Tiny Towner Workshop
with artist Elizabeth Doak Thurs 20 August / 11am1pm & 2pm-4pm / 8-11 years / £5 Using found images, creating new ones and holding an ‘opening’ for the new exhibition, children will construct their own gallery, fill it with artefacts, photography and paintings then write a review of the exhibition to present to an eager crowd.
Printmaking Open Studio Annis Joslin
Adventure into the Abstract Workshop with artist Annis Joslin Wed 19 August / 11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm / 5-7 years / £5
Lindsey Smith
Fri 28 August– Mon 31 August, / 11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm / All ages / Free drop-in
Starting with drawing games, we will explore the William Gear exhibition and generate a set of shapes, colours and lines. We will work together to add these to a series of evolving
Monthly, starting on Thurs 10 September / 10.30am -12pm / 2-5 years / £3 per child, adults free Our popular creative sessions are back! Led by staff from Towner, Eastbourne Library and Eastbourne Children’s Centre, we’ll be exploring art together. These sessions will be running monthly from September until March 2016.
Tiny Towner Drop-in
Every Tues / 11am-1pm / 0-5 years / Free A welcoming space for under 5s to explore our exhibitions and get creative with our art resources, including our new Explorer jackets.
Family drop-in
Lindsey Smith Annis Joslin
Left: Make a Mini Art Gallery Workshop with artist Elizabeth Doak
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Try out different printmaking techniques each day with our artist educators. Fri: Screen printing (Lindsey Smith) Sat: Monoprinting and collograph (Annis Joslin) Sun: Print and pattern making with found objects
Every Sat, Sun & throughout school holidays / Free Free activities for children and families throughout the gallery – look out for gallery trails, iPad and drawing activities and things to make in our family art areas. Workshop places are limited. Book workshop spaces online or by phoning 01323 434670. For our free workshops, a suggested donation of £1 would be very welcome.
What’s On
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Adults
Young People
Printmaking Workshop in partnership with Emma Mason Gallery Sun 2 August (plus tour Sat 1 August) / £70 / £63 conc. & members Collagraph Print workshop with Charles Shearer, drawing inspiration from the work of William Gear and from the artists whose work was acquired for Towner during his time as curator. Ticket price covers a Sunday
What’s the Story? Photography workshop with Annis Joslin Tues 4 August / 1-4pm / 13-19 years / £5 Explore the different ways artists use photography to suggest a story in the East Sussex Open 2015. Through a series of creative photographic tasks, participants will make their own set of images, explore the different roles of photographer, picture editor and curator and make a mini exhibition in the Art Box by the end of the session.
Photography skills and ideas workshop with Elizabeth Doak Wed 5 August / 1-4pm / 13-19 years / £5 Come along to learn some essential photography skills such as rule of thirds, depth of field, exposure and composition. We will also be looking at the importance of furthering your own ideas creatively. This workshop will be a great introduction to students wanting to improve their basic photography skills.
What’s On
11 all-day workshop. If you’re around on the Saturday, join us on an exclusive one-hour Art Store tour with conservator Corinne Farmer, which your ticket also includes. Make a weekend of it and take up an offer from a partner hotel – see our website for more details. emmamason.co.uk
Club Abstract
Printmaking Open Studio
in partnership with Emma Mason Gallery
Fri 28-Mon 31 August See pg 9 for more information.
Produced by Melting Vinyl Sat 19 September See pg 4 for more information.
Footsteps of Ravilious Sat 5 September See pg 12 for more information.
Printmaking Workshop
Me Myself & I, Elizbeth Doak
Me Myself and I Self Image photography workshop with Elizabeth Doak Thurs 6 August / 1-4pm / 13-19 years / £5 A fun workshop for the ‘selfie generation’ using traditional photography skills to produce printed photographs to work from. Use the Towner’s portrait collection for initial inspiration and create some unusual images of yourself using props and lighting. Then reinvent them by reworking the photograph into new ‘ideas’ of the self-portrait.
Generate
Elizabeth Harbour
Sun 20 September (plus tour Sat 19 September) / £70 / £63 conc. & members Lino print workshop with Elizabeth Harbour, drawing inspiration from the designs and woodcuts of Eric Ravilious. Ticket price covers a Sunday all-day workshop. If you’re around on the Saturday, join us on an exclusive one-hour Art Store tour with conservator Corinne Farmer, which your ticket also includes. Make a weekend of it and take up an offer from a partner hotel – see our website for more details. emmamason.co.uk
Fortnightly, term time, starting 13 June / 13-19 years / Sessions £5, can be paid termly, reduced fees available Love the arts, into film or just want to get creative and hangout with likeminded young people? Generate is the place to be. Join the fun, learn new art skills and be part of our team of young creatives! Find out more townereastbourne.org.uk/ learning/youth/generate/
Charles Shearer, Bird Box Blue, 2012
What’s On
Tours Footsteps of Ravilious
Sat 5 September / 10am-4pm / £60 / £54 conc. & members
On this guided walk led by Eric Ravilious expert Andy Friend, you will explore Ravilious’s love of the South Downs, and the landscape and locations that inspired him. Andy will guide you around some of the Sussex sites which feature in Ravilious’s works, including Furlongs, Mount Caburn, Beachy Head and the greenhouse at Firle – with a stop off for lunch in Firle.
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‘Perspectives On…’ Themed Tours
Our popular ‘Perspectives on…’ Themed Tours are a great way to learn more about a particular artist, genre or theme represented in Towner’s extensive art collection. Numbers are kept low to ensure a quality experience so book early to avoid disappointment. Perspectives On… Conservation of Works on Paper Sat 15 August / 11am-12.30pm / £8 / £7 conc. & members At this illustrated demonstration, our accredited conservator Corinne Farmer will look at works by artists such as Duncan Grant, Robert Tavener and Bryan Winter to demonstrate how works on paper in the Towner Collection are cleaned, repaired and stored.
Robert Tavener, Kentish Village with Chickens, undated. © the Artist’s Estate
What’s On visitors to make specific requests, ensuring no two tours are ever the same. Dates: 12 July, 26 July, 9 Aug, 23 Aug, 6 Sept, 20 Sept
K Erici, Still Life, 1950. © the Artist’s Estate
Perspectives On… Still Life Sun 27 September / 2pm / £6 / £5 conc. & members There are numerous examples of the still life genre in the Towner Collection, from traditional Victorian compositions to abstract interpretations. Looking at composition, colour palette and texture, we will explore how artists such as Keith Baynes, Duncan Grant, Frances Hodgkins and Sylvia Gosse have worked within the genre.
Art Store Tours
12pm, alternate Sundays / £6 / £5 conc. & members These regular hour-long tours offer a fascinating and engaging introduction to Towner’s impressive art collection. Guided by one of our knowledgeable gallery team, you will learn about the story of our collection, from the original Victorian bequest through to some of our recent acquisitions of works by contemporary artists. Although key artists such as Ravilious will always feature, there is flexibility for
Exclusive Private Tours
We also offer exclusive private tours of our extensive collection in our art store at a time of your choice for £7 per head (minimum charge £35). An ideal gift for any art lover or an inspiring social excursion for your group. To arrange a visit contact towner@townereastbourne. org.uk
Open Ended
First Tues of every month 10am-12pm / £3 (including refreshments) + carers come free Open Ended is a special initiative for people with memory problems and their carers. More of a conversation through art than a formal tour, each visit provides an opportunity to explore artwork from our collection, supported by specially trained gallery staff. We can also accommodate group bookings – please phone 01323 434670 for details.
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Special Event
The Coastal Culture Trail
Finding Your Way A Creative Force project for Towner Come join free art workshops at Seaside Recreational Ground 18-19 July with artists Sally Colledge and Sheila Hay. The pieces will be shown in a public art installation at Towner from 21-26 July. From 29 June to 28 September, you can walk The Finding Your Way trail of pavement stickers from Eastbourne Station and Seahouses Square (Marine Parade) to Towner. The William Gear inspired stickers were produced by artists Sheridan Quigley and Silke Savran and five groups in the Devonshire Ward: Bourne Primary School, Age Concern, the Blind Society, Eastbourne Mencap and Charlie’s Youth Centre. For more information, see: creativeforce.org.uk Finding Your Way has been funded by Devonshire West Big Local. This project is part of the Driving Devonshire Forward initiative funded by the Coastal Communities Fund, managed by Eastbourne Borough Council & Eastbourne Homes Limited.
Along a 20-mile strip of East Sussex coastline, you will find three of the best contemporary galleries in the South of England – Towner in Eastbourne, the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill and Jerwood Gallery in Hastings. We have packaged together some ideas for your weekend in East Sussex, including where to enjoy local food, drink and hospitality, where to hire bikes and what else there is to see and do! Coastalculturetrail.com @CoastalCultureT
Visitor Information
Visitor information Towner Devonshire Park, College Road Eastbourne BN21 4JJ Tel 01323 434670 Email towner@townereastbourne.org.uk Web townereastbourne.org.uk Opening times (summer hours) Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm Bank Holiday Mondays 10am-6pm Admission is free
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Access all areas
Venue Hire
Towner supports the i-go ACCESS ALL AREAS scheme, an initiative to improve access to leisure activities for children and young people with disabilities and special needs across East Sussex. Towner strives to be accessible to all. There is a lift to each floor. A manual wheelchair can be provided. See our website for more information on how we can meet your access requirements.
Travel and parking
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By bike Why not cycle? Secure bike racks to the rear of the building.
Grange Rd
By car College Road car park is pay and display. There are 7 blue badge holder spaces in the car park next to Towner.
Towner’s versatile and stylish spaces are available to hire and can accommodate a wide range of events, from small meetings to wedding receptions and product launches. Bespoke packages can be created, incorporating gallery tours and opportunities to view our art collection as well as delicious catering options from Urban Ground. Contact Niamh on 01323 434679 or roomhire@townereastbourne.org.uk to discuss your requirements.
Shop
Visit our shop to find inspiring art, original locally made products and special gifts for all ages. Our stock is influenced by our Collection and exhibitions, with a strong focus on Eric Ravilious merchandise and limited edition giclee prints by a range of artists. To coincide with our summer exhibition we will have a range of exclusive William Gear products. Selected items are also available from our online shop: shop.townereastbourne.org.uk
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Become a volunteer
Volunteers are a key part of the Towner team. If you interested in art, love interacting with people and are keen to develop new skills or gain experience, then we would love to hear from you. For more information visit our website or contact volunteer@ townereastbourne.org.uk
Support Us
Membership Join us and discover more with membership. Become a member of Towner, and you can start enjoying the many benefits membership offers while allowing us to continue to make art accessible to all. Sign up at townereastbourne.org.uk/join-us/ membership/ Mailing list Join our e-newsletter mailing list to receive information about our exhibitions, events, special offers, and invitations to private views. Sign up at townereastbourne.org.uk/ mailing-list
Urban Ground
South St
Grange Rd
By train By train, Eastbourne is 35 minutes from Brighton and just 1hr 25 mins from London. There are direct rail links from London, Brighton and throughout the South East – see our website. By bus, Eastbourne is 1 hour from Brighton.
Gildredge Road
By bus The no. 3 bus stops next to the Congress Theatre adjacent to Towner, and other buses include 12, 12A, 12X and 13X and 98 & 99.
Eastbourne Station G ro ve Rd
Towner is only a 10-minute walk from Eastbourne train station and a few minutes from the seafront. Follow signs to Devonshire Park.
Visitor Information
Thanks to Devonshire Park Hotel for their on-going support.
Our top floor café and balcony terrace is the perfect spot to relax, meet friends and enjoy stunning views across Eastbourne. Choose from a menu of delicious sweet and savoury treats, ranging from filled Lebanese flatbreads to Portuguese custard tarts and polenta cake and a full range of speciality teas and hand-roasted direct-trade coffee.
Conservation Services
Do you have a painting, print or object that requires specialist cleaning or repair? Towner is now pleased to offer professional conservation services, undertaken by our fully accredited conservator Corinne Farmer, ACR. Specialist areas include paper, photographic material, works on paper and works on canvas. To book a free consultation contact Corinne on 01323 434670 or corinne.farmer@townereastbourne.org.uk
towner art gallery
Towner Devonshire Park, College Road Eastbourne BN21 4JJ Tel 01323 434670 Email towner@townereastbourne.org.uk Web townereastbourne.org.uk Follow us on Facebook.com/TownerGallery Twitter.com/TownerGallery Instagram.com/TownerGallery Opening times Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm Bank Holiday Mondays 10am-6pm Admission is free