New exhibitions at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery

Bob Mazzer In Camera: A Retrospective is the largest temporary exhibition of the photographer’s work to date, including work printed in large scale for the first time. The exhibition, which is on display until April 17, features more than 50 photographs including several from his time in the United States and some of his London Underground pictures. Also on show are images of his adopted hometown of Hastings and some of his fellow residents plus, for the first time, work created by Mazzer during lockdown, which shaped what he could photograph and his interaction with the natural world. Many images are accompanied by a short commentary by Mazzer himself, allowing visitors to get a sense of his personality and approach, as well as a better understanding of the work on show.

Bob said: “I first visited Hastings Museum over 30 years ago, when Jen and I and the little’uns upped sticks in the Smoke and moved to St Leonards. The kids never stopped loving it here, and neither did Jen or I, although we, unlike Art and Alice, never quite took advantage of the space available to run around, hide or lie on the floor, particularly in this central gallery, where I would spend a lot of time imagining my photos on the walls.”

Cllr Paul Barnett, lead councillor for regeneration and culture, said: “Hastings Museum & Art Gallery plays a vital role in showing exhibitions created by local residents and those inspired by our borough with a wider audience. We are grateful to have the fantastic photographs taken by Bob Mazzer on display over the next few months, some of which have never been seen before.

“Alongside these, visitors can also view the Together We Draw exhibition which enabled so many people both locally and from around the world to come together during a time of isolation. Together We Draw demonstrates that anyone can be an artist and the process of creating is something everyone should enjoy, something Sue Tilley passionately believes in.”

Together We Draw, which is on display until June 5, was curated by St Leonards based artist Sue Tilley. The exhibition showcases a selection of portraits produced by the hundreds of people who took part in Life Drawing with Sue Tilley, which was live streamed weekly from March 2020 to March 2021 on Isolation Station Hastings.

Guests included actress Michelle Collins, performer and broadcaster Scottee, Princess Julia and DJ Fat Tony, alongside locals including BAFTA award-winning costume designer Michele Clapton, jazz singer Sarah Jane Morris and the then Mayor of Hastings Nigel Sinden who all posed for an online audience of local Hastings’ people and others from across the world. These viewers would sketch away and submit questions while Sue and her model had a candid chat.

Sue explained: “I was running art classes at the Fountain Pub when the pandemic struck. Being intrinsically lazy I was originally very excited about not being able to work and being able to lie about watching TV. But after a couple of weeks, I was climbing the walls, so I was thrilled when Isolation Station offered me a chance to do my classes online.

“It was very different to the classes in the pub as I couldn’t see what everyone was drawing so I decided to have a conversation with the model to pass the time. This worked very well. In fact so well some people got so carried away listening to the chat they forgot to draw. But plenty of people still did and it was so thrilling to see what people had done when they sent on their finished works.

“It taught a lot of people how relaxing drawing is and how when you are concentrating the time passes by so quickly. People were also thrilled with what they produced and looked forward to each broadcast.

“I loved doing it and loved connecting to friends old and new in Hastings and all over the world. And it has been wonderful reconnecting as I’m contacting people to ask them if I can borrow their work for the show.”

For full details on opening hours and how to book your free tickets, go to www.hmag.org.uk.

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