West Pier Brighton Night Sea

Print description

This print captures with detail the steel structure of the iconic remains of Brighton’s West Pier at night, rising above the waves. This night scene depicts the once a vibrant symbol of the seaside that now stands as a stark yet majestic monument, weathered by time and the elements. The sky mirrors the striking hues of red algae (Rhodophyta), blending natural beauty with a sense of the surreal. The tones evoke both the pier’s history and the quiet power of nature, as the sea and sky seem to merge in a moment of atmospheric stillness.

Print details

I created this print from my original ink drawings to which I apply colour digitally. I print it on fine art paper using archival inks. I issue the formats A0, A1 & A2  as limited editions of 100 where I individually sign and number each print.  The smaller formats A3 and A4 are form open edition signed prints.

West Pier Brighton

The industrial revolution brought social and technological advances. Among these, the Victorian championed the promotion of well being. For this reason many seaside towns built leisure piers across the United Kingdom inviting all segments of society to enjoy the benefits of clean air and gentle exercise. The West Pier, possibly the most beautiful in the country stands today, sadly, as a bare and weathered wrought iron structure.

In 2019 I held an exhibition at the West Pier Centre where I showed my work. My interest for this charismatic structure is well documented in numerous prints where I have featured the remains of the West Pier.

How I drew the sky and the sea in this print.

For the sky I drew leaves of wrack seaweed found commonly in the Sussex coast as an echo that the pier is under water.

The rough wavy sea is taken from a drawing of hair from a portrait drawing I did during a life drawing session in Brighton. The model ,Monica, had a black, slick and shiny long hair, the session happened at the Portland Café in Kemptown with the Kemptown art association group.

You can also see in the top left drawing that I also drew the other members of this association.

Poetry references

In this print the Brighton West Pier has an ethereal presence, a pearl complexion. Maybe this impression talks about belonging to two worlds: the past world when the pier was was full with children and adults promenading on its timber deck, with the sound of its performers and attractions; and the irremediable future, in a sky of seaweed and a stormy sea. Comes to my mind the poem by T.S. Eliot Four Quarters: “Time present and time past. Are both perhaps present in time future. And time future contained in time past. … All time is unredeemable.”