Cathy's Art Diary

Innovative exhibition at the Fine Art Society combining works on the theme of war by important 20th century artists with an installation by Michael Petry. The works included a wonderful Eric Kennington head of a soldier in pastel with a blue background giving it a Renaissance feel. There was also a relatively smoothly textured Ginner of the building of HMS Prince of Wales. I loved a set off lithographs by Ethel Gaban including one of salvage workers. A nice hang was Nevinson and Nash prints both from 1918 shown side by side. The installation by Petry called “Battle of Jericho” pulled the whole thing together with a series of large Morano glass pebbles in different colours. The stones will be sold throughout the show and removed as they are sold so the installation is gradually destroyed. Closes on 24 March 2016

Interesting installation at Pallant House Galleries by Michael Petry. I am not sure I saw all this show as it is not due to open until 4 July so there may be more to come but I have to say I liked what I saw anyway! The idea is that it echoes the grand staircase and historic mirrors in the gallery. Over the stairs there was a lovely colourful glass chandelier with twisted rods in a similar shape to the bannisters and scattered round the house were clear versions of these shapes in odd places. I loved the small frames round the bottom of the staircase with speckled glass to look like antique mirroring. I hope you go back and see if more appears!