Time Marches On

The Lighthouse At St Agnes by Frederick Uhlman

I read an article about an exhibition currently on in Eastbourne recently and the pictures and story really caught my eye. In the middle of the 20th century Lyons Teashops were present in almost every town, providing a cup of tea, slice of cake and decent food. After the war, when decorating supplies were scarce, Lyons Teashops were looking shabby and in need of some care and attention. Lyons commissioned many of Britain’s top artists to provide prints to cover up tatty paintwork. The artists got a decent commission and a cut from each sale of runs of the pictures (1500 of each  were made). Today’s artists would be far too expensive and above themselves to consider such a proposition- but not the Art For All context of the late ’40s and early ’50s. What I like about them is the way they manage to be both fairly modernist in style while fairly nostalgic in tone and subject. The modernist impulse of post-war reconstruction coupled with looking back at a time before bombs fell out of the sky on a nightly basis perhaps. The exhibition is on now at The Towner Gallery in Eastbourne. I suppose it’s pretty unlikely I’ll find myself in Eastbourne between now and the end of September. 

Hastings by Edwin La Dell

The River Rother At Rye by Clifford Frith

Albert Bridge by Carel Weight

                                                         The Shire Hall by Lynton Lamb

                                                      Landscape With  Bathers by John Nash

Music? How about this, totally unrelated thematically and musically but maybe not philosophically- an epic piece of 1988 house from Marshall Jefferson (hiding behind the Jungle Wonz name). It does that trick the truly great house tracks did of being utterly uplifting while using melancholic chords. Time marches on.

Time Marches On (Club Mix)