‘Drawn to Witness’ : an exhibition documenting Hollington Valley

April 27, 2016 by combehavendefenders

For the past year, local artist and Combe Haven Defenders member, Emily Johns, has been drawing the Hollington Valley local wildlife site, which lies in the path of the Queensway Gateway road. Her artwork will be exhibited in Hastings in May: please come along, and don’t miss Emily’s talk on ‘The Art of Protest’ (all details below).

Emily has captured the site from the end of one winter to the end of the next, documenting the struggle between Seachange Sussex, Hastings Council and environmental campaigners over the building of yet another road.

Emily drawing in Hollington Valley, with security guards. Photo: Milan Rai

Emily describes the work she has produced as ‘Not your idyllic Spring Watch in a Sussex bluebell wood but an observation of the processes that drive out protected species to prepare the land for tarmac. The drawing is a record of place, an act of witness of a heavy footprint, a capturing of spirit’.

Details of exhibition
When: Monday 16 – Sunday 29 May, 9-5 daily.
Where: Memorial Art Gallery, 7 Cambridge Road, Hastings (ring 2nd floor bell) (map)

Exhibition events:
Opening event: 6pm, Thursday 19 May
Talk by Emily Johns on ‘the art of protest’: 3pm, Wednesday 25 May
Closing event: 6.30pm, Thursday 26 May

More information: 07565 967 250