A rousing ‘Cheer’ from the de la Warr Pavilion

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Ian Jones enjoys a day’s art at the seaside. He reports on the interesting range of artists showing at ‘I Cheer a Dead Man’s Sweetheart’

‘I Cheer a Dead Man's Sweetheart’ is an exhibition of emerging and established contemporary artists who are producing work in the UK. Established artists such as Frank Auerbach, Leon Kossoff and Jeffery Camp, whose careers span six decades, are presented next to artists who are in the early stages of their profession such as Gary Wragg and Joella Wheatley.  

The show presents a varied cross section of painting in Britain today and celebrates the range of contemporary works currently being produced.  Several pieces have been offered directly by the artists themselves while others are on loan from private galleries.  The curators of the exhibition, David Rhodes and Dan Howard-Birt, have visited the studios of almost every painter represented in the show.  In doing so they have secured several new or previously unseen works from the artists involved.  Sophie Von Hellerman has produced an installation work of art especially for the show.  Jessica Warboys has created a huge Sea Painting, which is made by the actions of the sea on canvas.

Whilst not wishing to single out any artist, because all 21 on show deserve to be included, some are bound to appeal to viewers more than others.  One strength of the show is that the visitor can compare and contrast such a wide cross-section of contemporary artists.  Particular favourites include Adrian Wiszniewski, whose visual style has echoes of stained-glass church windows, and William Daniels, who manages to create amazing depictions of tin foil on canvas that look three dimensional.  Alexandro Raho paints beautifully ghostly, pastel portraits that look photographic without being precise representations.  The show also includes Pulling Out by Jeffery Camp: a huge, busy, oil painting about the sea that is fitting to be on show at a seafront gallery. 

The exhibition gives fascinating glimpses and insights into the working methods of some of the artists.  For example, John Wannacott uses chinagraph pencil to draw grids on a sheet of Perspex as an aid to perspective.  An additional gallery on the upper level of the De La Warr Pavilion has been set aside for a series of changing displays, including a transformation of the space into an artist’s studio, master classes by artists and even the creation of a new Sea Painting by Jessica Warboys.  

The De La Warr Pavilion is a Grade One listed building located on the seafront of the seaside town of Bexhill, East Sussex.  This modernist building for the contemporary arts was built in 1935 and underwent a major restoration in 2005.  ‘I Cheer a Dead Man's Sweetheart’ runs until 29 June 2014.  The Pavilion is open Monday-Friday 10.00–17.00, Saturday and Sunday 10.00-18.00 and admission is free.