May is here, and we’re excited! This month is one of the best of the year in our home town, with days getting longer and Brighton Festival and Brighton Fringe in full swing. It also means that the countdown has begun for Enter Gallery’s Art Yard Sale, which is taking place on Sunday 4th June in Jubilee Square. Mark it in your diaries now!
In the meantime, the gallery is full to the rafters with exciting original works and limited edition prints, so in today’s blog, our team are providing their top picks for this month…
Katherine’s pick is Glastonbury by Mark Vessey
“This is a fantastic piece. Vessey’s work is amazing in general. I think it’s a great example of something simple, done really well. It’s highly-effective. I love that each piece resonates differently depending on who is looking at it and what memories and associations they have with the music. I’ve chosen Vessey’s Glastonbury piece because the festival is coming up and I have a ticket. I’m very excited” - Katherine.
Della’s pick is Thinks I, To Myself by Ed Ruscha
“I love this piece by Ed Ruscha. He’s a US artist that you don’t always see in the UK, and he has a real following within the fashion industry. Red is my favourite colour, so I always love seeing it used in artworks. I like the existential phrasing of the piece. We’re all guilty of overthinking at times. The piece pokes fun at that and reminds me to enjoy life a little more” – Della.
Will's pick is Coffee and Cigarettes by Bonnie and Clyde
"I've always really liked Bonnie and Clyde's work and this new release is really cool, and quite different. It's got a black background which isn't typical of the usual stuff she does, but the piece has all the hallmarks of her work; the mid-century vibe and the swimming pools that give it a real David Hockney feel. As with all of her works, all the textures on it are beautiful. When you get it under the light, you see the shine on it and the silkscreen glazes. It's a nice size as well - we've been used to seeing really large-scale pieces from her, so it's nice to see her do a smaller squarer work. It's a brilliant piece." - Will.
Emily’s pick is Old Growth by Dan Hillier
“This original work by Dan Hillier is my absolute favourite piece on the walls this month. His originals are always incredible, and given how massively popular he is, for an original Dan Hillier, this is a really great price. He’s applied gold leaf and hand-scratched in patterns on the gold and it’s framed beautifully. I love Hillier’s coloured prints. They always sell out really quickly. I love the birds, the foliage, the flowers. The level of detail is so impressive. It’s just a really beautiful example of Hillier’s work that captures everything he does so well in one piece of art” – Emily.
Laura’s pick is The Trip by Joe Webb
“I love Joe Webb’s work, and the composition of his new piece, The Trip, is beautiful. I love the contrast between the darker shades and the bright pops of colour of the planets and the horizon. It looks like they’re about to have a really lovely time, and I love the perspective Webb presents the piece from, which makes you feel like you’re in the back seat, about to go on the adventure with them. The glazing on his work is always really beautiful as well. It gives the print a bit of shine and adds a new dimension” – Laura.
Tim’s pick is Blooming Brighton by Jayson Lilley
“I’ve always loved Jayson Lilley’s work, so it was nice to reassociate myself with it at our Pop-Up in London. His skylines of London and his pieces on the bank notes are phenomenal, and they seem to really resonate because of their reimagining of a transient token. Much like money, art only holds value because of the belief placed in it by the holder. We’ve seen a lot more people since the pandemic realising that not only does art enhance the home but it can be a great investment too. Lilley’s Blooming Brighton piece, which is created on a vintage Brighton Monopoly board, reminds me of my childhood playing board games, and his hand-finished detailing on these pieces is amazing” – Tim.
Megan's pick is Everything I Have Learnt From the Cherry Tree by Marcelina Amelia
"I really love Marcelina's work. It's hyper feminine and has lots of symbolism in it. This new piece is probably my favourite because of the colour palette, and the use of the cherry blossoms, the moon and the eggs. I love the story behind the piece too. I'm really looking forward to seeing her at the Art Yard Sale in June. I heard her stall last year was amazing, so I'm excited to see it." - Megan
Poppy’s pick is U is for Unusual People by Peter Blake
“Being a collage artist, I’ve always loved Peter Blake and he’s huge inspiration to me. It’s difficult to choose a favourite piece by him, but I love this work from his 1991 Alphabet Series because it epitomises his style of using found materials, and also, I’m a bit unusual!”- Poppy.
