Brighton Palermo Remix

This HOUSE 21012/Brighton Festival co-commission was borne from witnessing a traditional street illumination street festival in Italy a couple of years ago. Coalescing within the context of the May festivities, and more specifically the interior decoration of the Grade 1 listed Regeny Town House, and the broader Brighton seaside illuminated landscape, the Brighton Palermo Remix attempts to reflect all of this, within the setting of this unique house which still contains many original and stunning features. And so, along with a number of drawings and plans, there are three large wooden structures, adorned with coloured lights spread across three rooms.
Batchelor, whilst obviously a thoughtful and somewhat conceptualist artist, only succeeds in telling us that these works are best seen NOT in this house, where they sit rather incongruously, and should instead be viewed within the context of their influences, ie, out in the streets, adorning buildings and being an integral part of the visual landscape – public art perhaps. But forcing us to view these works consciously, and with all the intellectual will in the world, are these works anything more than ‘pretty’? Obviously, seeing any art in The Regency Town House is a good excuse to see what progress is being made in restoring it to its original glory – It’s a work of art in itself…

Regency Town House, 13 Brunswick Square, until 27 May 2012
Rating:
Jeff Hemmings