Eric Ravilious, Channel Steamer Leaving Harbour, 1934
Emily Allchurch, Return to Port (after Ravilious), 2023
Railway Approach, Newhaven BN9 0DF
What 3 words: nightlife.taxed.riverside
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Channel Steamer Leaving Harbour
Channel Steamer Leaving Harbour was painted by Eric Ravilious in 1935. It depicts a scene from Newhaven port harbour which is still operating today. Ravilious often made paintings of this area of East Sussex when staying nearby with artist and friend Peggy Angus. He was drawn to Newhaven for its busy port, ships, and industrial machinery, nestled in the South Downs.
As manmade objects with personality, ships were an ideal complement to Ravilious, who had a fascination with wheeled vehicles. Whilst other paintings, such as James and the Foremost Prince, 1934 (also on the trail). capture the angular, industrial bodies of the machines, Channel Steamer Leaving Harbour, 1935, casts the harbour in a different light, capturing the romance of the night ferry’s departure.
Artworks at the Sidings photo:© Rob Harris
About Emily Allchurch
Return to Port (after Ravilious), 2023
Living and working in Hastings, East Sussex since 2015, Emily Allchurch, received a First Class (Hons) degree in Fine Art from K.I.A.D, Canterbury (1993-96) and an MA from the Royal College of Art (1997-99), where she began working with photography. She has since established a reputation for her use of photography and digital collage to reconstruct Old Master paintings and prints from a contemporary perspective. Allchurch has exhibited widely both in the UK and internationally including Minneapolis Institute of Art (USA), Tokaido Hiroshige Museum (Japan), Sir John Soane’s Museum (London), Manchester Art Gallery and Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nancy (France).
Read Emily’s thoughts and inspiration:
‘My work is all about recreating and updating historical artworks by digitally collaging photographs I have taken of contemporary life. In Eric Ravilious’ painting Channel Steamer Leaving Harbour (1935) the bright cabin lights and billowing steam from the ship’s funnel adds excitement and a wonderful anticipation about the voyage ahead.
The port of Newhaven, and the ferry itself, has naturally modernised in the intervening 90 years, but I hope my interpretation of the scene today, captures the same drama, witnessing the arrival of the Transmanche ferry, having completed its similar crossing back from Dieppe.’
Also at the Sidings
An exhibition by students from Seahaven Academy. The mixed media prints combine an essence of the Ravilious paintings studied in workshops with printmaker Emma Taylor, capturing the modern day working neighbourhood that the students know and love. The exhibition is also free at the same time as the trail.
Seahaven Academy students photo:© Peter Cripps
Other Trail locations
MORE ABOUT NEWHAVEN
The Sidings also hosts an exhibition by Seahaven Academy students, Jake Beaumont, Jacob Marsh, Nicolas Graczyk, Ben Rickards, and Sam Turnbull in response to the Ravilious paintings. The mixed media prints combine an essence of the Ravilious pieces studied in workshops with printmaker Emma Taylor, capturing the modern day working neighbourhood that the students know and love.
Check social media and the website for a range of events and activities associated with the trail, at the Hillcrest Centre, the Hope Inn, Marine Workshops, and an exhibition of the trail Ravilious paintings at Towner Eastbourne.
TRAVEL AND ACCESSIBILITY
Newhaven train and bus stations are next to the Sidings. There is free parking at the Sidings, Denton Island, and at Dacre Road car park. Only pub patrons are allowed to use the Hope Car Park. The viewing points for all artworks are fully accessible. Please be aware of a short stretch of Fort Road that does not have pavement.
FOOD AND DRINK
The Sidings Bistro and The Hope Inn both have excellent food and drink menus.
MORE TO DO IN NEWHAVEN
Visit Newhaven Art Space for contemporary art at 24 High Street, @newhavenartprojects
Celebrate coast, culture & community in September with @newhavenfestival
Visit artists and makers across East Sussex in September at @artwavefestival
Our Supporters
A big thank you to the people at the following companies for supporting and championing Creative Newhaven. We salute you!
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