Art exhibition at The Arc explores 100-mile South Downs Trail

The Arc, Jewry Street, launched its new exhibition, ‘Every Step of the Way’ on Friday, April 4.

Thirty-three contemporary artists from diverse backgrounds have come together to illustrate eleven stretches of the trail, with every artist focusing on their interpretation of a particular section.

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07.41 Glatting Beacon 16.01 – Epoch’ by Simon Hitchens  (Image: Fergus Wolfenden) The idea for the exhibition was sparked at the funeral of Tony Howarth, the curator of the Southampton City Art Gallery, where Tim Craven and Deborah Richards, fellow artists and curators of the gallery, rekindled their passion for contemporary art and decided to host a new exhibition. 

Mr. Craven said: “Can we articulate the experience of walking the South Downs Way from Eastbourne to Winchester?

The exhibition is about the geography, history, ecology, geology, archaeology, landscape and folklore of the trail.”

“It’s multi-dimensional and it involves all of the senses.”

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The exhibition above Winchester Library features the works of internationally acclaimed artists such as Fiona McIntyre, Jon Edgar, Howard Phipps and Simon Hitchens.

Dr Melanie Rose, the third curator for  ‘Every Step of the Way’, walked the trail for her PhD thesis and her art exhibition entitled ‘Facing both ways: walking the South Downs Way through painting.”

She said: “I feel like I know the South Downs back to front.”

“The exhibition is not just about the beauty of the Downs, it’s also about seeing what’s going on and the history of it.”

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Andrew Carnie next to his piece ‘The Old Ways’ (Image: Fergus Wolfenden) Also featured in the show is Andrew Carnie, an artist and academic at the Winchester School of Art, whose work crosses over with his passion for science, specifically neuroscience, biology and technology.

He describes his sculpture, ‘The Old Ways’ as a representation of the body and one of the narrow walkways on the South Downs valley – focusing on the gut microbiome.

Mr Carnie said: “Lots of modern illness is a result of our movement away from rural land and being inside of it.”

“I’ve done a few of these pieces and I also think they represent the chalk figures that appear in the Downs, very much embedded in the landscape.”

He added that he focused on the gut microbiome and how connecting with n

The exhibition is on until July 16, with ticket prices starting at £4.

More information can be found online at arcwinchester.org.uk/event/every-step-way or by calling 01962 398046.

Article by Fergus Wolfenden, Bournemouth University.