Art - Art and Soul

Several artists from the stable of Chalk Gallery exhibitors will be taking part in a collaborative venture to turn the village of Falmer into a temporary art venue for the Open House section of the Brighton Festival this month. Falmer Church, the Church Hall and even the pond, will be home to a selection of artworks under the exhibition title ‘Art and Soul’. Falmer resident and exhibition organiser Sue Barnes tells me about the space. “It’s a really peaceful village, and the church makes a fantastic gallery. It’s very bright and light unlike most churches, with all the walls painted white, so it works really well”.

Lou Johns thought her abstract figure sculptures would work really well in the middle of Falmer pond, and after a fashion, Brighton Council agreed. “There were lots of health and safety factors to contend with”, Lou tells me, “but that’s all covered now and I’m really excited about seeing them up”. The figures are about two metres high and made out of three pieces. “The structure is called a triform”, she explains. “They are made out of resin and aluminium with bronze. They are inspired as much by the human form as my love of trees”, she continues. “I love the way that you can see lots of different shapes in the spaces between the branches - if you look closely at my figures you can see that they do that too.” Also exhibiting are recent Royal College MA graduate, Roz Cran and stone sculptor Moira Houston. ER