New contemporary art gallery launches in the heart of Hastings Old Town

The inaugural exhibition is A Dream Within A Dream – Ivor Abrahams running until November 27 at the gallery at 51a George Street, Hastings, TN34 3EA.

The exhibition features Ivor Abrahams’ celebrated 1976 print portfolio E.A Poe: Tales and Poems.

Harriet explains: “Abrahams’ spine-chilling series is a vivid evocation of the supernatural in 20 works, inspired by the poems and writing of E.A Poe, including such well-known gothic classics as The Sphinx, The Raven and Dream Within A Dream.

“Opening our doors during the season of Samhain or Halloween, A Dream Within A Dream is a celebration of the eerie season in the magical location of Hastings Old Town: a place steeped in history, folklore and wonder.”

Harriet added: “Tadhg Mae Projects will present a changing programme of exhibitions by artists who practise within the realms of the esoteric, folk and mystical, creating work which explores the magic of the natural world.”

As for the name, Harriet said: “I wanted a name which meant something and have always loved the name Tadhg, the name of many Gaelic Irish kings from the 10th to the 16th centuries; it signifies poet, philosopher and storyteller. Mae has Roman origins and is the name of the goddess of spring, as well as being is the origin of the word May – also my birth month.”

The gallery will present a programme of talks and events exploring the themes of each exhibition. Tadhg Mae Projects will also incorporate Tadhg Mae Pages, original prints, antiquarian and art books.

Harriet is a gallerist with more than 25 years’ experience working in the visual arts in Asia, USA and the UK. She lives in Hastings with her husband Robert Delaney and Akhenaten the chihuahua.

Ivor Abrahams (1935-2015) was an acclaimed British artist best known for his polychrome sculptures and his stylised prints of garden scenes. His career-long exploration of new subject matter, novel techniques and materials led him to be described as Europe's equivalent of Robert Rauschenberg.

Abrahams exhibited widely, including the landmark ICA exhibition 26 Young Sculptors (1961), the retrospective of sculptural works staged at Yorkshire Sculpture Park (1984) and the comprehensive retrospective of his work staged at The Royal West of England Academy (2012). His work is held in numerous public collections including, Tate Gallery, Arts Council England, Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum of Modern Art NYC and Metropolitan Museum of Art NYC.

Abrahams worked extensively with printmaking and these works were published and exhibited by Bernard Jacobson Gallery in London and the US. E.A Poe: Tales and Poems was originally commissioned by Jacobson and completed in 1976. The portfolio was exhibited the Royal Academy of Arts exhibition Ivor Abrahams: Mystery and Imagination (2011).