Celebrating ten years of contemporary and modern art in Hastings
Spokesman Ioannis Ioannou said: “In 2012, nestled among the Old Town’s strange, black net shops and fronting a shingle beach, known since the Norman Conquest as The Stade, a striking new art gallery first opened its doors. What followed has been a decade of groundbreaking exhibitions, quality-packed retrospectives and important showcases for emerging and overlooked talent. To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Hastings Contemporary is presenting Making Waves, a special alumni exhibition appropriately bringing ten artworks by ten of Britain’s most talented artists, all of whom have exhibited in the gallery over this last decade, including Chantal Joffe, Rose Wylie, Maggi Hambling and Sir Quentin Blake. Other major artists set to feature in the exhibition are; Anselm Krut, Rachel Howard, Jeffrey Camp, Stephen Chambers, Anne Ryan and Gillian Ayres.” Hastings Contemporary director Liz Gilmore said: “Over the past ten years the response to the art we have shown has been phenomenal. We have been constantly punching well above our weight, with alumni artists to be proud of, all whilst receiving awards and positive reviews. In the post-pendemic era, Hastings Contemporary continues to build on its legacy of success. The volume of ever-increasing visitors coming from the local community and further afield demonstrate that Hastings has a vital role to play in artistic exchange. Since we first opened, as the Jerwood Gallery, more than 400,000 people have visited our exhibitions, with many more engaging in our learning and participation programmes. Here is to more exhibitions to come, showcasing emerging and established artists and their work, making Hastings Contemporary a cultural hub of regional, national and international significance. Hastings Contemporary champions modern and contemporary art – an ambitious programme of temporary exhibitions showcases work by Modern British artists, internationally celebrated artists and emerging practitioners.”