Work by Inès Willaume from Lille, one of the participating artists.

International artists come to Hastings to create new work

From the middle of August through early October 2013, 11 artists will be working in Hastings and St Leonards making temporary projects inspired by the unique coastal landscape and maritime activities. They come from European port and harbour cities in south-east England, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland, as part of the ‘Ici et Là-Here and There’ project, writes HOT’s Chris Cormack.

The artists will be working in various local venues creating new work which includes video/sound installations, photography, performance and large-scale sculptural installations, much of which has been developed from their research in Hastings and St Leonards.

The project is also part of Dunkerque’s programme as 2013 Regional Capital of Culture – Hastings is the only UK location to participate in this major cultural tourism event. Artist/curator Christine Gist has developed ‘Ici et Là-Here and There’ in partnership with Claremont Studios and Dunkerque artists’ group La PlateForme. In November and December, the project becomes ‘Les Grands Magasins’, when the artists will take over empty shops in Dunkerque’s town centre.

Waving by Jini Rawlings (photo: Christine Gist).

There will be a range of events running through ‘Ici et Là-Here and There’, including artists’ talks and performance and a symposium focusing on Dutch art initiatives. The artists’ sound and video installations in the crypt at St Mary-in-the-Castle also feature in Heritage Open Days on 12-15 September. All events are free and open to the public.

The emphasis on maritime locations has given the opportunity to invite an artist from Dordrecht, Hastings’ twin town in the Netherlands. Although many of the artists have well-established careers, two emerging artists from Sussex Coast College Hastings are participating, along with two students from France.

Transnational collaboration

“The project is really an artists-led transnational collaboration, and it is exciting that this group of artists are inspired by the Hastings coastal environment,” Christine Gist commented. “Several of them have made repeat research visits to the town and we hope it will highlight the wealth of artistic creativity in the area.

“‘Ici et Là-Here and There’ will also feature in Coastal Currents, the two-week arts festival running in Hastings from 20 September to 6 October. We are fortunate that the project has received the support of a range of partners which will help to achieve an accessible event for residents and visitors.”

The participating artists are:

Izabela Brudkiewicz (Eastbourne), Daniel Dowling (Hastings), Delphine Deshayes (Lille, France), Stefan Hoffmann (Rotterdam, Netherlands), Bie Michels (Antwerp, Belgium), Rossella Piccinno (Lecce, Italy), Jini Rawlings (Brighton and Hove), Dominika Skutnik (Gdansk, Poland), Holger Stark (Rostock, Germany), Yvo van der Vat (Dordrecht, Netherlands), and Inès Willaume (Lille).

The events take place from 6 September to 6 October 2013 at the following venues:

The SPACE, The Roomz (6 September), Claremont Studios’ project space, St Leonards lower promenade (8-14 September), St Mary-in-the-Castle (6-28 September), Stade Hall (6-15 September), the harbour arm (6-7 September), University of Brighton Hastings (26 September) and on the seafront.

‘Ici et Là-Here and There’ is supported with public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England’s grants for the arts programme, Conseil Régional Nord-Pas de Calais, Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque, Hastings and St Leonards Foreshore Charitable Trust, the Flemish Community, Polish Cultural Institute London, the Polish Cultural Institute Paris, City of Dordrecht, Hastings Association of Twin Towns and University of Brighton Hastings.

More information: 0788 144 1120.

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