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The space is beautiful with huge windows looking out onto Hastings and the reception staff were really warm and knowledgeable. Three small but interesting shows on and an unexpected gem of a restaurant at the end. We both agreed we had probably the best soup either of us had ever eaten, which was a great round off to a lovely experience at the Hastings Contemporary. Worth a trip! Ps. Very Covid aware, felt mega clean and considered.…
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Date of experience: December 2020
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+1
Last year the Jerwood Contemporary changed its name to Hastings Contemporary. But this was more than a re-branding. It followed a dispute between the gallery and the Jerwood Foundation which led to the transfer of ownership of the gallery and the gradual removal of all that foundation’s art (approximately 300 or so significant works of modern British art) and their dispersal on loan to institutions all around these isles. Hastings Contemporary has organised some impressive exhibitions in its own right, including the first retrospective of the late Victor Willing not to mention the dozen or so paintings in the current exhibition by Burra, Spencer and Sutherland called the Age of Turmoil, albeit three of the four Sutherlands are on loan from Chichester’s Pallant House Gallery just down the coast. Quentin Blake has specially painted some watercolours currently on display in two of the galleries upstairs. But otherwise the current exhibitions are no substitute for examples from what was the Jerwood permanent collection. There is a bare wall on the ground floor where once hung a mightily impressive Bratby. Tge exhibition of paper sculptures by Anne Ryan occupying the largest rooms on the ground floor is no match for some of the exhibitions by the likes of Chantal Joffe, Maggi Hambling or even John Bratby I’ve seen here in the past. Even the cafe formerly run by Webbe’s has changed hands. Although I was impressed by the kedgeree, chorizo and chips and scrambled egg on toast we ordered not to mention a heavenly lemon drizzle cake there were no catches of the day and some of the power sockets had been removed.…
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Date of experience: February 2020
1 Helpful vote
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The building is light and airy and the cafe is excellent. However, the exhibitions are small and some of it - most of it really - is utterly pretentious crap.
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Date of experience: February 2020
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We had been members of the Jerwood Gallery since its opening. We appreciated its permanent collection from the Jerwood foundation and its temporary exhibitions. About a year ago, the Jerwood Foundation left the Gallery which then became the Hastings Contemporary. Our recent visit coincided with 2 exhibitions, The Age of Turmoil: about 12 paintings by Burra, Spencer and Sutherland, and an exhibition mainly of cut outs by Anne Ryan. As gallery members, we were not charged the entrance fee, adults £9, seniors £8 and other concessionary rates. The Age of Turmoil exhibition, though small, displayed some well-known and thought-provoking works. There is no replacement for the permanent collection of early 20th century British art which was a major feature of the Jerwood Gallery. A visit to this gallery is worthwhile if there is a current exhibition by significant artists supported by a sufficient number of works. We feel, however, that the gallery needs a permanent collection to match the one which was a main feature of the former Jerwood Gallery.…
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Date of experience: February 2020
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Fantastic location helpful knowledgable staff.Great cafe overlooking the sea delicios food and ambience.This is a small gem of a gallery an intimate restful space.
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Date of experience: November 2019
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