Transition Gallery welcomes you to O Dreamland this bank holiday weekend. © Transition Gallery
Hackney’s Transition Gallery is heading to the seaside this August Bank Holiday weekend as 19 artists head to the Kent coast to show their work in an arts festival celebrating all things coastal.
O Dreamland takes place in and around Sea Beach House at Greatstone in Kent, between August 25 and 27. The house, which overlooks the English Channel, will become the epicentre of an ambitious weekend of art that will involve a variety of artist’s work to films to a candy floss store.
The resulting weekend festival promises to offer a subversive but affectionate look at the great British seaside.
Russell Herron will be releasing a series of balloons during the weekend. Picture courtesy Transition Gallery
The festival’s name, O Dreamland, has been taken from the 1950s Lindsay Anderson film based on Margate’s Dreamland Pleasure Park, which has become a by-word for the faded splendour of some of seaside towns and the artists involved have each responded to the subject in a uniquely contemporary way.
Work on show will include Matthew Rowes' handcrafted shingle beach, Lucy Harrison's flag, Cathy Lomax's painting's of beauty queens, Sophie MacCorquodale's film portrait of Rhyl and much more.
Russell Herron will be performing a new piece at O Dreamland entitled Between 53 and 56 blue balloons - released over a period of 10-12 minutes, or thereabouts, during the weekend of August 25 and 26 2007. The balloons are each in memory of a variety of organisations and artists - both living and dead - ranging from Derek Jarman to Stella Vine, who's work is also appearing in the festival.
The Caravan Gallery will be in Greatstone during the bank holiday weekend. Picture courtesy Transition Gallery
The Caravan Gallery, a mobile exhibition venue and visual arts project run by artists Jan Williams and Chris Teasdale, will also be in town for the weekend. The gallery specialises in the anomalies and juxtapositions to be found in modern Britain and will be exploring the phenomenon of seaside specials – a seasonal form of entertainment found in seaside resorts right around the UK.
Ruth Calland's alter ego, Dame Batlove, will be giving a psychic performance on the beach and inviting visitors to experience Blind Fortune Painting with fish and psychic sauce in a temporary marquee on Saturday, whilst the beach is also the venue for a sand art workshop led by Alex Michon on Sunday.
For full information about the Bank Holiday weekend of activities and to find out about free shuttle bus services see the Transition Gallery website or visit the Sea Beach House this bank holiday weekend at 202 The Parade, Greatstone Kent (020 7254 4202).
