Hastings Battleaxe sneaks Jerwood preview…

Rose Wylie at the Jerwood

Just walked past the Jerwood… much gathering of media luvvies for the Press Preview.  Saw the featured artist herself – Rose Wylie, standing outside, looking cold,  with a couple of beardy geezers wearing crumpled linen.  I snapped two of her paintings illicitly through the window.  What do I think of these?  Not much at all, to be honest. 

Rose Wylie at the Jerwood

There are many talented, well regarded local artists in Hastings and St Leonard’s.  I know I sound like some whinger writing to the ‘Observer’ but couldn’t we have done better than this?  It will do much to confirm the locals’ perception that the Jerwood is full of artsy fartsy rubbish that has no relevance for them – particularly as you can see the paintings plainly through the big front window without having to go in and pay.  (I say again that £7.00 admission for people outside Hastings is far too much.)

I understand that the Jerwood permanent collection includes a fine selection of twentieth century British art – I just hope they display it.  So often you go to one of these new flagship galleries and the permanent collection is pushed into a corner in favour of installations made of toilet roll insides and rooms full of hands-on gizmos for school kids.

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