Wonderful Jan Svankmajer exhibition

Manifesto.

Tower of armadillos.

Last night I attended the opening of the Jan Svankmajer exhibition at the University of Brighton Gallery. 

When I was an undergraduate, Svankmajer's surreal, stop-motion animated films were a big influence on my fellow students, along with the macabre folk art/surrealism of Struwwelpeter, but I had never seen Svankmajer's assemblages (mostly models for the films) or his beautiful etchings before. This exhibition really blew me away, there was far too much to take in one one visit so I will certainly be going back.

Wooden boy.

I have become increasingly interested in  the idea of Surrealism beyond Dalí in recent years – in particular thorough reading biographies of Lee Miller and Jean Cocteau and visiting Edward James' collection of Surrealist art at Pallant House, Chichester – as well as Svankmajer's own inspiration, the Cabinet of Curiosities of Rudolf II, so this was well-timed for me and full of inspiration. 

Feathered suit.

My phone photographs really don't do the exhibits justice, seen in the evening light, after coming in from the deluge, they were magical, inventive and a more than a little bit disturbing.

The nail biting bit

I've done as many fabric collages as I reasonably can before the Christmas Open House starts this weekend. They're mounted, wrapped, some are framed, price labels made and they are now sitting waiting to go.

This is the nail-biting bit. Are the prices pitched just right? (Too expensive puts people off but too cheap devalues the product...) Will customers like them? Are there enough - or too many? Too late to do anything about it now. Wish me luck and many sales!

The Dragonfly House is 48 Ditchling Rise, Brighton, and is open this weekend (last in November) and next (first in December) 11am–6pm.

www.48dr.co.uk

Greyhound

Beautiful tin. Shame about the spacing between the words MADE IN ENGLAND - you could drive a bus through there.

Still, let's look at the dog... lovely!