Hastings Contemporary unveils important new commission

It is now open to the public.

Hastings Contemporary has partnered with Turner Contemporary and Visit Kent to present England’s Creative Coast, a new outdoor cultural experience taking place until November 2021.

Curated by Tamsin Dillon, Waterfronts introduces new works from internationally acclaimed artists Andreas Angelidakis, Mariana Castillo-Deball, Holly Hendry, Jasleen Kaur, Katrina Palmer, Pilar Quinteros and Michael Rakowitz.

Spokesman Ian Roberts said: “England’s Creative Coast is a landmark project between seven outstanding arts organisations — Cement Fields, Creative Folkestone, De La Warr Pavilion, Hastings Contemporary, Metal, Towner Eastbourne and Turner Contemporary — to create a new outdoor cultural experience that connects art with landscape and local stories with global perspectives. It brings together the Waterfronts commissions and the world’s first art GeoTour, with each partner presenting their own section of the project and a local engagement programme at its heart.”

Andreas Angelidakis’ Seawall commission with Hastings Contemporary will run until November 12.

“Andreas Angelidakis, a prestigious talent and internationally acclaimed artist describes himself as an architect who doesn’t build. Instead, he utilises an artistic voice that switches between the languages of architecture, curating, writing, and the internet. His art is concerned with spaces, buildings, and the society that inhabits them, often creating environments for people to activate.

“For his Waterfronts commission Angelidakis is presenting Seawall, a new work, which occupies the courtyard space outside Hastings Contemporary.

“Resembling concrete accropode blocks, structures designed to resist the action of waves on coastal locations, Angelidakis’ work responds to the gallery’s close proximity to the seafront, referencing the encroaching ocean and coastal erosion due to climate change.

“Using the guise of human response to flooding through the invention of sea defence mechanisms his work reflects on whether the border between land and sea can continue to be a habitable place.

“Seen from afar, Seawall presents the spectacle of severe-looking structures being relaxed on, potentially prompting double takes from passers-by. Softening what at first appears hard, Angelidakis’ artwork queers the idea of the seawall, playing with people’s expectations and prompting questions while side-stepping any rigid definitions.”

To participate in the world’s first art GeoTour working with Hastings Contemporary, download the GeoCaching app via the App store, GeoTour code: GT4A5.

Ian explained: “Hastings Contemporary has been working with arts organisation Culture Shift to develop its part of the world’s first art geotour.

“Culture Shift has engaged six different community groups in the town to develop a geocache which shares their stories about Hastings, its past, present and future.

“The six geocaches stretch from one end of the borough to the other, each located fairly close to the coast.

“Geocaching is a form of digital treasure hunt with uses GPS enabled technology to help people locate the hidden geocaches. You simply need to download the free app at www.geocaching.com and start your adventures. Already in the first week people have been out looking for the caches and been delighted with what they have found.

“The caches have been made by six groups. These include volunteers at Hastings Country Park working with Mary Hooper, The Refugee Buddy Project led by two group members, Leigh Malaihollo and Fatima Esayli, a digital content creator and a young Sudanese architect, children at Sacred Heart Primary School working with Janey Moffatt, Hastings Youth Council working with Beccy McCray, rough sleepers working with Claire Shoosmith and associates at Eastbourne Studio Pottery and Friends of Combe Valley, led by 2 artist members Elise Liversedge and Julie Willard. The caches reflect personal impressions of living by the sea, and explorations of Hastings’ coastal stories and history.”

Culture Shift Director Catherine Orbach said: “We want to engage locals and visitors in our geocache trail and have designed them to offer an experience that takes you to some of the most scenic spots in town, some well known, others not. We’d like to encourage people to try out geocaching for the first time and hope that the different groups involved will encourage family and friends. For a local or a visitor the caches tell stories about the town, its history and its present.

“The caches stretch from Hastings Country Park in the East to Combe Valley in the West, passing very close to Hastings Contemporary and Angelis Angelikadis’ sculpture. Three caches are in the town itself and three in our fabulous country park and nature reserves, often overlooked by locals and visitors alike.

“For the energetic, it is a fabulous six-mile walk from one end to the other, with the sea in view from start to finish. For those with less time or stamina, they can be reached by short walks from local car parks and with three easily accessible on foot in the town centre.”

Free tickets to Hastings Contemporary are available for people who find all six caches.

For more information, visit www.englandscreativecoast.com.

Hastings Contemporary is now open to the public with a brand new exhibition Seaside Modern.

For more information and tickets, visit www.hastingscontemporary.org