Art about life – by young people in supported housing: “Belonging” exhibition at YMCA DLG, Reed House, Hove.

1 May 2016. An inspiring exhibition of art by young people in supported housing, staff and community, at YMCA DLG was opened in Brighton and Hove on Thursday night, as part of the 2016 Artist Open House event that runs throughout May. Russell Honeyman was at the opening and took the photos below to give viewers an idea of the range of art on display.

At the heart of this exhibition is original work by young people using art to express their feelings – which range from happy through hopeful. Not so much sadness, but quite a few monsters and a bird in cage. The YMCA show encompasses a wide range of styles from naive to professional, from pop-art representations of diversity (yes, Hendrix was there, as was ML King), to Pollock inspired paint-splash and dribbles, from hi-tech pixellated portraiture reminiscent of Chuck Close, to impressionist landscape.

Grant Dejonge, Sue-Kim Steele-Green, Jacqueline Bissett, Mark Hooley, Julie French are among local artists are taking part, donating at least 50%, with some giving 100%, of the profit from the sale of their artwork to YMCA DLG.
Open 11am – 4pm every Saturday and Sunday from 30th April to 22nd May
Reed House, 47 Church Road, Hove BN3 2BE
http://www.ymcadlg.org/ymca-dlg-artists-open-house/
Open Houses trail, number 12 ‘Independent’ Brighton Artists Open Houses Festival.