Sussex Modernism: Goddesses, Magic & Megaliths

Sussex could have had a 20th century monument intended to rival Stonehenge. Controversial sculptor Jacob Epstein planned to create colossal stone statues as a form of sun temple in the grounds of writer Virginia Woolf’s home. It never happened, but the figure Maternity, which you can see photographed on this post, might have been one of them. According to the information on the wall at Sussex Modernism, at Eastbourne’s Towner Gallery, “The never realised scheme was part of an effort to create a ‘new religion’ inspired by Indian sacred art.”

As well as the sculpture of a divine mother, goddesses, a green man, and enchanted woodlands are among the many works inspired by magic and paganism on display in the new exhibition. You can see other examples in the photos here, which I took when I visited last weekend. While Moderrnism might more usually be depicted by visions of city life – or at least what was then the “modern” world – there were various strands within the movement. The countryside of Sussex influenced the 20th century artists who lived there. It’s an extremely varied exhibition, covering a wide range of styles, techniques and topics. The Towner website says:

“A monumental head carved in stone by Jacob Epstein (1910) shares a space with a seven-metre-long painting by Ivon Hitchens (1960) and a large wall hanging made with cellophane by Ethel Mairet’s Workshop (1940s). A magical woodland scene by surrealist Carlyle Brown (1948) appears alongside an Edward Burne-Jones tapestry (1886), a film by Neo-Naturist Jennifer Binnie (c. 1980), and a life-sized goddess by Alexi Marshall (2024).”

I wanted to put my photo of the Epstein statue at the top of this post, because it is really a striking image, but I was wary of social media blocking it due the the bare breasts. The row of goddess images had them too. So, the picture at the top is a less likely to be banned green man by Alexi Marshall, entitled Bloodsucker Head. Along the wall next to it are works by Amy Sawyer, a feminist who was inspired by folklore and was described as a ‘witch’.

Sussex Modernism is on to 28 September 2025 at Towner Eastbourne, Devonshire Park, College Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4JJ. Standard tickets are £9.90. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. https://townereastbourne.org.uk/

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/08/art-and-writing-coastal-erosion-and.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/05/walking-art-of-tides-stones-god-of-sea.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/02/dark-monarch-magical-exhibition.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2021/08/walking-art-following-map-to-ancient.html

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