Brightons Arty: Alison Krog

Pier Pressure

The battlelines are drawn. The House of Krog is divided. Wandering past the poor old West Pier this week, the Dane is adamant it’s living on borrowed time and should take its blot off the Sussex seascape. Personally, I hope it withstands many storms to come, not least for the inspiration it continues to provide local artists. It’s always a pleasure to encounter those creative types who rise to the challenge of capturing Brighton’s iconic landmarks without resorting to cliché. I’m thinking in particular of printmaker Janet Brooke, who specialises in the urban landscape.

During her long career, Janet has been inspired by a rich variety of locations, from the East End and City of London to destinations in the Far East, such as Hong Kong and Singapore. But since her move back here, the place that has fired Janet’s imagination most is Brighton. Her prints of our multi-faceted city evoke a clear sense of place, making the familiar fresh from the artist’s point of view. You can see Janet’s work at the Orso Major and Bankside galleries in London. Or arrange a visit to her Brighton studio.

Last chance: hot foot it to the Hop Gallery in Lewes and you’ll just catch the final week of ‘Capturing the Spectacle’ – painter John McSweeney’s first out-of-London show in more than 20 years. Subtitled ‘Paintings of Modern Life’, the collection combines photography and digital editing techniques with a mature painting style to explore complex issues of our time. These include themes such as the influence of technology and the ubiquitous need to be ‘constantly connected’, loss of privacy and the trade-off between safety and intrusion by the state, the ageing process, the property boom, and conflicting cultures. Until 26 July.
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