Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces – Catalogue of Works

BRIGHTON: PLACES, SPACES & FACES
FEATURED ARTISTS

Scroll down to see all the artists and work featured in this show, or click on a name below to jump to their listings information.

Andy Urwin / Billy Chainsaw / Ben Gore / Cassette Lord / Daniel Haskett / EJ Sparkles / Flo Snook / Godzuki / Josh Hurley / James Mele / Keziah Furini / Kirsi K / Laura Danby / Leo Kember / Lauren Nickless / Louis T F / Liz Whiteman Smith / Marc David / Manic Minotaur / Precious Murphy / Pinky / Popcorny / Studio Goggin / Sanja Matkovic / Victoria Kaplan / Vicky Scott

ANDY URWIN

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

The Brighton area was settled as far back as the Neolithic period, and evidence of its status as an important fishing village (and boat-landing point) can be seen in the Domesday Book. Fishing was the town’s main activity until the mid-1700s when sea water cures became popular and brought in many visitors.

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BILLY CHAINSAW

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About CROWLEY LIKES TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE (#1/#2)
Controversial occultist Aleister Crowley died in Hastings in 1947 but – in accordance with his will – he was turned to ash at Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton. After the funeral had taken place, the local Council declared the event a desecration of holy land and an act of abuse against the entire town. The Brighton public was so terrified by tabloid reports that a Black Mass would be performed on their doorstep that, following the event, Christian services were conducted to counteract the malevolent forces they feared Crowley’s acolytes had unleashed on the locality. An inter-congregational prayer meeting was held at St. Peter’s Church, to packed-out pews.

About SWEET POISON:
In the late 1860s, well-respected and highly-educated Christiana Edmunds became known as the Chocolate Creme Killer, after poisoning several Brighton locals (one fatally), in an attempt to murder her lover’s wife. She purchased chocolate creams from a local confectioner, took them home, laced them with strychnine and returned them to the shop. The confectioner then sold them to the public, not knowing that they had been poisoned. Initially, Edmunds obtained the strychnine from a local chemist, on the pretence that she needed it to poison stray cats – a chemist that was located at 10 Queens Road – what is now the shop next-door to Conclave gallery!

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BEN GORE

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About PINKY BROWN:
“Immortalised in Graham Greene’s novel Brighton Rock, Pinkie Brown is the young leader of a Brighton gang in the 1930s. The story is a fictional tale set in the dark underbelly of the city, as Pinkie aggressively seeks to cover up his violent crimes. This piece is a homage to this Brighton icon.”

About THE DEVIL OF THE DYKE:
The Devil’s Dyke is a deep, natural valley on the edge of the South Downs, just north of Brighton. Mythical legend has it that the Devil dug this trench in an attempt to use the sea to flood and drown the Christian parishioners who had settled on the other side of The Downs. His efforts failed when he abandoned the trench, leaving early to escape the break of dawn.

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CASSETTE LORD

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Now a classic part of Brighton’s street-art scene, Cassette Lord’s iconic analogue cassettes have been seen across the city since 2001 when the local council approved a project to paint all the pavement telephone junction boxes with these anti-advertising retro symbols which perfectly represent Brighton’s thriving music and art scene.

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DANIEL HASKETT

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About BRIGHTON ROCK:
The pier has an often-forgotten, fictional identity. In the 1938 novel Brighton Rock by Graham Greene, the pier becomes infamous, taking on a somewhat sinister flavour as Pinkie Brown and his group of gangsters chase after Fred Hale to oversee his grizzly ending.

About PALACE PIER:
The classic icon: “Brighton’s Palace Pier stretches out into the English Channel, whilst the seagulls fly overhead waiting to dive down for their next meal of fish and chips.”

About BRIGHTON WALKERS:
What promenades were made for: “I love walking along the promenade into Brighton, with the bright beach huts to the left, and the pebble beach and sea to my right…it’s always a great way to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of city life.”

About GREAT SKIES OF BRIGHTON:
The Helter Skelter: a fairground institution and the one at the end of The Palace Pier has been serving up thrills, spills and aerial sea views for more than 40 years. It’s one of the few “old-fashioned” Brighton amusements that is still proudly showing off its vintage design, and still going strong.

About SUNDAY BEST:
You’re never too old for Brighton: “Going down to the pier on a Sunday afternoon is always a good excuse to put on your best red shoes, set up a couple of deckchairs and then bathe in the afternoon sun with your loved one.”

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EJ SPARKLES

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About TROPICAL GLOW:
Brighton Pavilion, the lavish seaside residence of the Prince Regent, is adorned inside (and out) with pineapple designs: a symbol of wealth, exoticism and social sophistication in the early 1800s. In true retro style, the golden pineapple has recently made a return to our lives!

About GOODNIGHT SUNSHINE:
A common view of Brighton: a herring gull poses on top of a disused telegraph pole, against a colourful sunset sky.

About EARLY BIRD:
The traditional Brighton wake-up call: “This print was inspired by living in Hanover and being woken up by the persistent and noisy calls of the herring gulls nesting on our roof”

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FLO SNOOK

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Flo is fascinated by the British coastline (which is longer than those of Brazil or India!) and she loves to draw its cottages, harbours, boats and lighthouses. She says: Brighton Pier is particularly close to my heart because I lived in a flat with views of this pier when I first moved out of home.”

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GODZUKI

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About RED ARMY:
“Views of Brighton wouldn’t be complete without our seagulls. Whilst they’re not unique to our city, they do seem to have special, organised, synchronised skills in Brighton! This work suggests a devious connection and involvement in the destruction of the old West Pier…or maybe they’re just guarding it!”

About SEAFRONT SQUADRON #1 / ENCIRCLEMENT:
“Brighton is seen as a place of spontaneity, fun, cultural generosity, tolerance and openness. The seagulls, however, have a different idea. I’ve portrayed them in these works as having heightened organisation and planning skills; a synchronised army up to no good.”

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JOSH HURLEY

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Whilst the beach is ever-present in Brighton consciousness, we often forget about The Channel and its strategic history. There are hundreds of WW1 shipwrecks off the coast of Sussex, generally only ever seen by keen scuba divers. This work is a playful ode to the wonder, intrigue and mysteries of diving at old wrecks.

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JAMES MELE

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Brighton is a culturally vibrant city that lives its life in full colour. The Pavilion is a key architectural icon for us, and here it is presented (#1) in colours that show off its fun and playful nature, both now and historically; and (#2) with some its exuberant, interior leaf décor on a reimagined exterior – the psychedelic excess emphasized through colour.

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KEZIAH FURINI

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About WEST PIER:
“This iconic structure on Brighton’s seafront is slowly falling into the ocean along with its history of flocking tourists, busy tea rooms and lively concert hall, now just a skeleton of Brighton’s past. Having a BBQ on the beach looking out at the west pier while the sun sets is as Brighton asit gets! The West Pier says home to me.”

About THE SEVEN DIALS:
“I feel very connected to The Seven Dials as it was the place I grew up. This work looks at the community of shops that I love and associate with the area – I believe they make up the heart of The Dials, each shop and place is a world of its own, but collectively they make up a distinctive community.”

About DUKE OF YORKS BY DAY / DUKE OF YORKS BY NIGHT:
“This is the oldest cinema in the UK and a local treasure. The iconic legs kicking out of the roof (as if someone has fallen off their chair in joy) reflects the spirited magic of the place. From all-night screenings of the Lord of the Rings, to smaller independent films, this is one of my favourite places in Brighton.”

About THE BOOTH MUSEUM:
“This was the first museum I ever went to and it holds one of my first memories of drawing. Full of taxidermy scenes, it’s a strange and wonderful place just waiting to be explored. I particularly remember the butterfly room: drawers and drawers of extraordinary samples, each one different from the last.”

About KENSINGTON PLACE:
Old vs New: “This street in the North Laine is one I walk down every day; I particularly love the way the sun hits the block of flats in the background. During that golden hour of the day when the light has that particularly wonderful, illuminating glow to it, this street always makes me stop to soak it all in.”

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KIRSI K

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Finnish-born Kirsi K uses multi-media in this four-part (time series) of paintings to recreate the joy, vibrancy, and contrasts of subtle pleasures and excessive visual stimuli she experienced in her first-ever week in Brighton. The images are etched in memory, but the experiences are fleeting and ephemeral.

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LAURA DANBY

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

“I created a mid-century Scandi-style print of my home town, Brighton, originally designed for an exhibition at the Jubilee Library. It shows the Pavilion, a cheeky seagull, the seaside and the famous pebbles!” This special edition version includes hand-finished silver ink.

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LEO KEMBER

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Just a robot, on fire, going for a walk around town… “Inspired by the architecture of the Pavilion and the carefree – but firey – spirit of Brighton.”

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LAUREN NICKLESS

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About BRIGHTON BY DAY:
Lauren reflects on the details of travel experiences and the quirkyness of places: “I wanted to include all the best of Brighton Town: The Pavilion, Duke of Yorks Cinema, The Pier(s), The Seafront, The Marina, Brighton Gin…but look closer, there’s so much more!”

About BRIGHTON SKY / BRIGHTON BLUE:
All the highlights (plus the seagulls!) and the quirky details of Brighton, viewed from the sea in this screenprint (Brighton Sky includes a unique monoprint colour layer)/

About BRIGHTON LOVE:
“A fun piece celebrating love in Brighton. Look closer to discover it’s not only the people that are feeling the love within this quirky piece…”

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LOUIS TF

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

In the “Landscape Features” series of photo-montage works, Louis TF uses cut geometric forms to take the place of, or highlight, typical landscape and townscape features: sky, sun, flora, architectural structures, standards and details are all represented as abstracted shapes and colour providing an alternative way of seeing typical Brighton landmarks.

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LIZ WHITEMAN SMITH

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About BRIGHTON SEAGULL:
“Seagulls in Brighton are large, loud and slightly scary. I wanted my gull to be colourful, bright and less threatening…but still with all the squawks!”

About PINK CRAB:
Head a couple of miles east to Brighton’s coastal suburb of Saltdean, and you’ll find rock pools full of crabs of every colour, shape and size (alongside the many small children falling into the rock pools trying to collect the various sea creatures!) Classic seaside fun.

About 3 BEACH HUTS:
This 4-colour screenprint is Liz Whiteman Smith’s take on the classic row of beach huts. The colour palette reflects the calming, but friendly and joyous, summer spirit of beach life on the seafront. One to admire all year around.

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MARC DAVID

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Marc David is a training architect who uses his technical illustration skills to muse on alternative views of Brighton landmarks.

About HUT LIFE:
This piece portrays the iconic beach hut from a new, more revealing perspective – where the possessions (and inner secrets) of the owners are on full display.

About PIER PRESSURE:
This axonometric view of the Palace Pier focuses on the objects, rides and spaces: a deliberately (and nonsensical) scientific and technical analysis of the structure.

About SEAGULL CITY:
This piece shows the remains of the West Pier: a structure now used only by Brighton’s wildlife, seemingly abandoned by architects and planners.

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MANIC MINOTAUR

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About SEAGULL SYD:
Manic Minotaur’s take on Brighton’s “special” seagulls: they’re brash, ballsy and fearless, as is Syd: a punk gull (named after Sid Vicious, of course!) taking a walk in the city; ice cream in hand, attitude under his wing, Syd is not one to mess with!

About BN1:
Originally created for the cover of Brighton publication, BN1, this extended artwork shows the icons of Brighton life and lifestyle in Manic Minotaur’s unique and immediately recognisable detailed, psychedelic style.

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PRECIOUS MURPHY

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Precious Murphy creates “art for the future” using a system of minimal symbols and shapes. His works normally reference locations from his extensive global travels, but this work pays homage to his home town of Hove, musing on the orderly rows of beach huts set against the layers of pebbles, sea, promenade and sky.

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PINKY

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About BRIGHTON ROCK:
Street-artist, Pinky, has created a comic-book layout screenprint of Brighton scenes. An imaginative, trippy and alternative view of some of the sights of Brighton, drawn in his unique psychedelic style, this will bring peace ‘n’ love to all the world, yo!

About EYE 360:
In this 4-colour limited-edition risograph, Pinky has created a Cyclops vision of the i360 landmark tower on the seafront. A classic work of Brighton-styled trippy, psychedelic wonderfulness from this street artist.

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POPCORNY

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

PopCorny (Katie Mac) grew up in Korea, Hong Kong and Dubai. The packaging graphics and character brands from her childhood influence the look and humour in her illustrations.

About FOREVER SUMMER…IN MY MIND:
“Even when it’s rainy and cold outside, this brightly coloured screen print will fill you up with the hazy, lazy, happy, Brighton summer feeling!”

About BRIGHTON SEASIDE JOLLY :
“Hair pulling, fish and chips, a few dubious looking cocktails… all just part of this fun-filled jolly down to Brighton, featuring Piff & Bam, a seagull, a shark and…is that the Loch Ness monster?!”

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STUDIO GOGGIN

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Picture the scene: it’s 1993, four lads from a nowhere-town somewhere in the home counties all pile into their mate’s knackered hatchback on a Friday night and drive down to Brighton for one of the infamous free rave parties. Bob Dobbs is there to see them good. Sorted.

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SANJA MATKOVIC

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Matkovic was born and raised in Socialist Slovenia (then Yugoslavia) before moving to Brighton. “Brighton gave me the sense of what it means to feel free among people you haven’t yet met. My works show a world of imaginary joys where curiosity has wings and lust for life is seen as a virtue.”

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VICTORIA KAPLAN

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

Kaplan presents three works from her “Marvel-lous Brighton” series in which comic-book characters take a holiday break in Brighton:

BEACH POOL: Deadpool messing about on a visit to the nudist beach. Obviously, we won’t get to see what’s under the super-villain’s suit…

THE JOKER: Batman and Deadpool posing for a selfie outside the Brighton pub, The Joker.

THE HAIRY HOUND: Wolverine and Deadpool in a badly-behaved lads’ night out at the Brighton pub, The Hare and Hounds

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VICKY SCOTT

  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works
  • Brighton: Places, Spaces & Faces - Catalogue of Works

About BRIGHTON MAP:
“This Brighton Map shows some of the real tourist hotspots (the Palace Pier, Brighton Pavilion) and some of the sights that I wish were real and would fit in well with the wonderful and wacky nature of the city: mermaids playing ukuleles, skateboarding unicorns and a very posh fish…”

About BRIGHTON ROCKS:
Brighton Rocks celebrates the cool, quirky side of my favourite seaside city. It’s set by the seaside with the Helter Skelter from the Pier, motorbiking mods, singing seagulls, surfers and this fabulous rockabilly lady!”

About BRIGHTON IN BLOOM:
“The Pavilion Gardens are relaxing and exotic, always full of beautiful flowers, squirrels, dogs and – of course – seagulls. This work was influenced by 1950’s travel posters and the Regency era the Pavilion was built in (hence the big hair!)”

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To see more information on each of the artists (including their works from other shows) please head over here.