Art Review - Dreams of Here

Mysterious characters inhabit subconscious worlds in an exhibition at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, where three artists with close links to Sussex explore human perception.

'He Climbs the Stairs' by Julian Bell

Julian Bell opens 'Dreams of Here' with realist scenes of everyday life: a supermarket car park, a rock concert crowd. So far, so-so, but then things darken, with the sickly orange glare of a magazine stand transfixing the family in 'Grazia'. 

The Banksy-esque tanks overlooking a tranquil English village in 'Exercises at Imber' are less subtle; Bell's art is on a surer footing when tipping into surrealism, as with the curious building amongst tower blocks in 'He Climbs the Stairs'.

'Nocturnal Scenes from an Apparition' by Tom Hammick

The lights dim for Tom Hammick's Munch-inspired universe of Geisha girls, stargazing loners and families dreaming of utopia. Rich blue landscapes are dominant, where simple observations take on a macabre edge: the blood-red girl in 'Three Beds', the figure alone in the moonlit woods of 'Cabin'. 

The vast, magnificent 'Nocturnal Scenes from an Apparition' takes us deep into the forest once more, where a billboard appears in a clearing; its panels glow with memories and dreams, recurring themes of this wonderful collection.

'The Voyage' by Andrzej Jackowski

Andrzej Jackowski draws from his 'well of remembrance' for 'The Voyage, a stark series of unframed drawings where solitude and death are central themes. 

Largely monochrome interiors feature the occasional shock of violent colour; all carry a sense of impending dread. The ghostly outline of a man, barely visible at times, haunts the collection. 

Most gruesome is the nightmarish 'birdman', observing the dismembered bodies (his victims?) around him with calm indifference. This claustrophbic trip into a 'dark quiet corner' of Jackowski's psyche is sometimes uncomfortable, but always compelling.

'Dreams of Here' is a well-constructed journey with something for all tastes. Its vivid fantasies hang on a hook in the mind, long after leaving the exhibition.

Hove charity shop goes back in time

Vintage clothing and retro chic graced the shelves of a charity shop in Hove for a special event today. Oxfam on Blatchington Road retains stock from decades gone by, releasing it on annual ‘Retro Vintage Days’. 

Today’s was so popular people were queuing outside. Manager Amanda Powell said the occasion had gone down a storm: “It’s been our most successful yet, with the best quality stock. In the first hour we’ve had 300 customers.”

Shoppers jostled for position, and there was little elbow room among the keen-eyed bargain hunters and endless rails of colourful clothes. Kitsch ornaments and women’s fashion, dating back to the 30s, were popular. "It's exciting to look through these one-off pieces, and I love the hats," said shopper Emma Pentecost. “There’s always a market for vintage”, Ms Powell added.

Unusual items included a wedding dress and a 70s silver cross pram costing £100. The store remained closed from Thursday, while staff worked round the clock to prepare for the sale.

Work experience pays for journalism students

Clocking up the hours on work experience can lead to a dream job, as students at Brighton Journalist Works discovered today.

Euan Ferguson is now Deputy Chief Sub Editor at Time Out Magazine after leaving behind a business running a bar in Edinburgh. He joined the fast-track Diploma in Journalism course in 2008: “Within two weeks I realised I’d made the right decision, and it means a lot for me to be back here”, he tells us.

After graduation, Euan secured five work placements on publications ranging from The Observer to The Luton Herald. “Broaden your horizons as much as possible”, he says.

Euan delivers priceless advice on how to make work experience count: know your publication inside out, arrive with ideas and treat it like an extended job interview. “If editors remember you it’s a huge advantage”, he says.

Euan offers an insight into subbing, telling us although subs at Time Out are expected to write to a publishable standard, being meticulous comes first.

Having seen many work experience students come and go, his closing advice is to network at your publication. “Make the tea, it breaks the ice. The students who stand out are those who got to know people”.

Live music review: Blood Red Shoes

Laura-Mary Carter and Steven Ansell of Blood Red Shoes

Brighton duo Blood Red Shoes' third album, 'In Time To Voices', is a startlingly ambitious work. Swerving effortlessly from glorious pop hooks to head-banging thrash, via some ghostly slower moments, it is angst-ridden yet life-affirming; delivered with the swagger of a band on form.

Tonight they are in town to promote the new record with an acoustic set, on the tiny shop floor of Resident Records in Brighon's North Laine. A 70-strong crowd has gathered, eager to see how the band's trademark quiet-loud sound translates to this private setting.

Perched on the shop's counter with a guitar instead of his usual drum kit, Steven Ansell looks humbled, admitting, 'We're nervous because we can actually see you'. He then urges us, with a grin, to, 'Shut up, 'cos we play insanely quiet acoustically'. We shut up, and they begin, with 'Lost Kids'.

With no microphones, the band's fragile harmonies command the hushed room and carry the track's theme of alienation: the lines, 'I can't find my way/Already buried anyway', sound more poignant still.

Steven nails his vocal on 'Slip Into Blue', with Laura-Mary Carter joining for the killer chorus: 'Stops you breathing/Treasure I'm keeping'. She then takes over with a spooky delivery of 'Night Light', before the band close with the standout track: a brooding, brilliant rendition of 'In Time To Voices'.

Tickets for the gig were only available to those pre-ordering the CD from Resident, protecting the endangered art of the album in a download-driven age. 'That's a good trick', Steven declares, to much laughter. He's right.

Why Brighton's Seven Dials is a great place to live

St Ann's Well Gardens

The Seven Dials district of Brighton packs everything that makes the city special into one neighbourhood. Here are three reasons to love the hilltop village:

Restaurants. An eclectic parade of restaurants offers Thai food, a charcuterie, and fine dining at Sam's of Sevendials. With its unique array of Japanese tapas, Murasaki is the city's coolest sushi bar. Best of all here though is Blenio, where dishes are prepared with zest, care and ingredients of remarkable quality; the pork belly is superb. Attentive service and a warm atmosphere elevate this bistro amongst Brighton's finest eateries.

St Ann's Well Gardens. Minutes from the city but a world away from the crowds is this leafy urban retreat, with a walking trail, cafe and immaculate bowling green. There are quality tennis courts and a scented garden for the blind. Picture boards around the gardens depict Victorian-era tea parties on lazy summer afternoons, and this community spirit remains - schoolchildren help maintain trees and wildlife, and locals unite for the park's spring festival.

Location. Perched on the border of Brighton and Hove, everything is accessible from The Dials: beaches, nightlife, The Lanes' alternative shopping chic. A little further off are the vibrant Hanover and Kemp Town communities; stately central Hove is just around the corner. Buckingham Place with its sweeping city views takes you two minutes downhill to Brighton station; Dyke Road's mansions lead you away from the city bustle, towards Devil's Dyke and the great outdoors.

Brighton Wheel: the right decision?

Four months after opening, the Brighton Wheel divides opinion. Supporters praise a landmark encouraging tourism, challengers see an imposing presence on nearby houses. Approving construction was a difficult decision, but was it the right one?

Most opposed to the development are local residents, represented by groups like Brighton's Mad Wheel. They cite poor communication from the council, who are accused of 'breathtakingly arrogant and speedy moves' in choosing the Kemp Town location after previous sites were rejected.

The wheel's 24-hour lighting was allegedly not discussed during planning; one can sympathise with those living on Madeira place (pictured). Dwarfing houses just a few hundred feet away, the structure bathes windowpanes in a light which needs black-out curtains to block.

David Sewell, chairman of the North Laine Traders Association, believes an estimated 250,000 extra visitors yearly to Brighton and 30 new jobs are reasons to back the wheel. It is a 'win-win project', he said.

The project's press release notes the continued success of other wheels in the UK: the Yorkshire Wheel's visitors have increased 20% yearly. The London Eye has surpassed expectations, now famous globally and one of the capital's main attractions.

The Brighton Wheel has attracted customers throughout winter, and moving towards the warmer months this success looks set to continue. 

Although the wheel has come at an inevitable cost to some, it is a temporary structure whose presence looks justified during a deep recession; should the outlook brighten it could be removed. These are exceptional times, when such a boost to Brighton's economy was impossible to ignore.

Ales from The Dials

Ale pumps at The Good Companions

Real Ale has made a remarkable comeback in recent years, with increased demand from a new generation of young consumers transforming the drink's image. For whippets and flat caps now read pug dogs and ironic haircuts, as the once unthinkable is now official: ales are cool.

The return of bitters, milds and stouts in the UK has given rise to local 'microbreweries' who supply British taverns with regional beers; proud times indeed for the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Formed  in 1971 to save ales from extinction, the group campaign towards their vision of pubs as 'centres of community life, the one place to consume real ale'. Brilliantly, CAMRA have devised a 'National Beer Scoring System' complete with scorecards, which my friend and I take along to The Good Companions, Seven Dials.

Unrecognisable since its refurb, the pub is now a true champion of the CAMRA cause. Staff member Julia Smith tells me the owners Indigo Leisure 'change their ales with the seasons and promote small, local breweries' ahead of established producers.

Shooting Star

Impressed by these values we get to work on the first round of the afternoon, marking our pints from 0 (undrinkable) to 5 (perfect). Shooting Star (3.8% volume) is light and frothy, yet despite delivering on its promise of 'toffee in the mouth' is rather lacklustre and one-dimensional, rating 2/5. Molly Malone's Stout (4.5%) brings an instant grimace to the face of my associate, who likens it to 'cold coffee and lemon'. Sadly I concur, and after struggling to the bottom of our glasses we have little option but to award 1/5.

Ruby

Looking dark and delicious beneath a perfect layer of white foam, Ruby (5.2%) was deservedly our pick of the day's selection. This beer instantly packs a punch, its caramel notes and full flavour making for a highly enjoyable pint; with a sumptuous aftertaste to boot, we score a commendable 3/5. CAMRA describe an 'average' ale as one drunk 'without really noticing', a fair description of Arundel Gold (4.2%). Amber-tinted and refreshing it is pleasant but ultimately doesn't inspire, thereby scoring 2/5.

Dark Star Hophead (3.8%) concludes the judging while we can still count to five. Sporting a great head, this golden ale rates highly in the image stakes; yet although it boasts honey and citrus flavours, our verdict is no more than a competent 2/5.

Our testing found these local brews to offer depth, flavour and a genuine alternative to continental lagers. Flowing freely from the pumps of quality bars, the humble beverage's star has never been higher; the real ale revolution continues apace.

For more information on the Campaign for Real Ale visit http://www.camra.org.uk/