Pallant House and Chichester Cathedral

Pallant House and Chichester Cathedral, a set on Flickr.

Travelled over to Chichester today to catch an exhibition by the UK artist Edward Burra (1905-1976) at the Pallant House Gallery (which we became members of last year for a Frieda Kahlo / Diego Rivera double-bill).

Burra isn't someone whose work I've hitherto been particularly familiar with. I did recognise one or two of the pieces on display at Pallant House, but it would be fair to say that I was mostly drawing a blank up until today. Which made it quite a pleasant surprise to discover how accomplished Burra was. The most obvious way to describe his work is "colourful", but that would seriously underplay the range of subjects from urban scenes to landscapes, and from heavily-stylised representational art through to surrealist musings on war and death. He apparently didn't favour the surrealist label, but it's hard not to see some of his work in this light. That said, much of the work on display dealt more directly with experiences of working life in Britain, France and Harlem, New York. Overall, he's easily the most interesting painter that I've come across in quite a while. No Picasso - but then, who is? - but well worth checking out.

Post-Pallant House, we sought out lunch in a converted church, before seeking out (needless to say) photo-opportunities in Chichester's (unconverted) cathedral. Another great, and cultural, day out.