The Receding Shore

About

"The Receding Shore" explores our intricate and complex relationship with the coast, a juxtaposition of refuge and rejection, reflection and reckoning. It serves as a mirror to our collective understanding of this environment, blending facts and fiction, geological insights, mythological interpretations, and artistic inspirations. The exhibition prompts introspection about our impact on 'place' and the innate connections we hold to it.

Artists are invited to take the landscape of Pett Level as a starting point, a place teeming with multiple environments and echoing diverse time periods. Here, amidst constant change, human influence looms large, leaving its indelible mark on the landscape. The ancient cliffs of Pett, bearing witness to eons of history, whisper tales of transformation and extinction. Through constant erosion, a consequence of human intervention, these rocks reveal narratives not unlike our own mass extinction struggles in the Anthropocene era.

The sea, an enigmatic entity, holds a powerful allure despite its destructive potential. While we yearn for the tranquillity of its shores, we cannot ignore the despair lurking within its depths – habitat loss, pollution, and the relentless encroachment of waves. Each passing year, the ocean's advance threatens to engulf our habitats, a grim reminder of our own contributions to this vicious cycle of destruction.

The title of the exhibition is taken from a little-known publication of the same name by the writer Henry Savage, who, in the early 20th century, moved from London to seek solace by the Pett coast, only to be confronted by the coast's unforgiving nature which destroyed his home and bohemian sanctuary. "The Receding Shore" invites artists to confront the complexities of coastal existence. Here, amidst the timeless rhythms of nature, lies an invitation to explore the depths of our relationship with the ever-shifting shoreline.

Miroslava Vecerova, Amy Leigh Bird, Ben Chernett, Howie Whale, Christopher Winter, Laura Hindmarsh, Nancy Odufona, Bethan Smith, Adam Burton, Lara Hailey, Jane Beecham, Joe Charrington, Laura Ribbons, Lucie Treacher, Daisy Chitty Williams, Elysia Byrd, Bethan Smith, Rincen Caravacci, Stephen Emmerson, Rowan Corkill