Pavilion plays a part in marriage proposal

The Pavilion played a vital role in a carefully put-together marriage proposal last weekend. After enjoying a delicious starter in the DLWP Restaurant, Alex Munro asked the kitchen staff to prepare the remainder of a delicious three-course meal to take to a beach hut in Cooden. They were happy to oblige, so Alex and his girlfriend Hannah Van Dijk set about enjoying their al fresco main courses of roast chicken and gnocchi, followed by mango creme brulee. Alex popped the question at the end of the meal, and against an unexpected backdrop of fireworks coming from the Cooden Beach Hotel, she said yes!

Alex said: "Thank you so much. Brilliant of you to do all that, it made such a difference. The food really was fantastic."

Sally Ann Lycett of the De La Warr Pavilion said: "We are so pleased to have helped make this such a special occasion for Alex and Hannah! So many couples have told us how they met their partners at the Pavilion and it is always good to know that we are part of their happiest memories."

Good luck Alex and Hannah, and congratulations from the De La Warr Pavilion.

Instructions for Seeing through Listening 23/10/10 posted by Irene Mensah

The objective in my first workshop interacting with the public, was to explore whether or not it was possible to find a new and enhanced relationship with the exhibition, or specific images, by responding to a short set of instructions and imagining that they could listen to a soundtrack of their choice. The responses from a busy and already engaged audience were richly varied, and almost all of the different people I approached with this invitation, were willing to include this extra activity. Even the few individuals who found the idea unappealing, then defined why they didn't need any other stimulus to engaging with the work.

To help with finding an appropriate track, a laptop with headphones was made available. One couple were very happy to use their own iPod and enjoyed making a long list of tracks to accompany all the different photographers. The dramatic quality of Susan Lipper's work was a good starting point for many, with the ambiguity of being both attracted and repelled by her subject matter proving to be a common response, and also stimulated ideas of sounds related to details present in an image, as a background rather than music.

Conversations therefore moved in many different directions, evoking a father's memory of his own father singing a favourite track, "Hang down your head Tom Dooley..." responding to two of Susan Lipper's photographs, to themes of unconscious prejudice and preconceptions. A more thoughtful choice in music was found to challenge one's own stereotypical associations with the American South.

It was a pleasure to see people opening up further to more personal discussions revealing their interest in the exhibition, because of this different way of "tuning" into seeing images. The feedback was that it added a new dimension to connecting with the exhibition and encouraged a more focused and personal relationship with individual photographs. For some it was a poignancy of the gaze, the subtlety of what might be taking place out of sight of the framed moment. For others, the very fact that despite trying they couldn't think of a natural soundtrack, stimulated an analysis of their preferred photographer's personal themes.

I had great discussions with a photography teacher, a local musician, families, groups of friends, and they themselves were encouraged to debate their choices of music and what they found of interest in their favourite images. I really enjoyed the process and the generosity of people willing to think more laterally.

16th October Interaction

After getting 80 fantastic contributions to my first interaction, we managed to go slightly better this weekend, with a further 85. So many people said how much they enjoyed the opportunity to participate in an exhibition, something they had not experienced before, noting that events like this are usually geared towards children rather than adults. Contributions ranged between the surreal, the humorous, the poetic and the poignant.
I had some very enjoyable conversations about aesthetics, social documentation, voyeurism and the state of the nation (both UK and USA) with groups of visitors, many of whom stayed in the exhibition for a long time. There was even a group of local photographers from my first interaction who came back again to really get to grips with work and contributed to the spirited atmosphere of the afternoon.Thanks for coming back folks - you were great fun.
The exhibition seems to be hitting the mark with everyone: from the photo-purists who are delighted to get close to original prints of work that has hardly been seen in the UK (if at all), to the less initiated visitors who are being introduced to photographers who have influenced the types of images we take for granted now.

Talk that puts the psychological landscape of the American South "in context"

Richard Gray will be talking about what makes the American South different, special and even strange. He will be placing the photographs on display in the exhibition in the contexts of Southern history and mythology and, in particular, in the context of Southern literature - how writers from the region have created a place that seems to exist somewhere between the actual and the imagined.

Richard Gray is a Professor of Literature at the University of Essex, and the first specialist in American literature to be elected a Fellow of the British Academy.

Tickets just £5

To buy your ticket for this enlightening talk call the Box Office on 01424 229 111 or click here to book online

Photo: Susan Lipper, Untitled from the Grapevine Series, 1998-1992, Courtesy the Artist

Curator's Conversation

Photo: Alec Soth, Bonnie (with a photograph of an angel), Port Gibson, Mississippi, 2000, Courtesy the Artist/Magnum

Saturday 30th October, 2pm
Curator's Conversation

For a unique insight into the exhibition join a Walk & Talk with curators Celia Davies from Photoworks and the De La Warr’s Jane Won.

Tickets only £5

To book and for more information call the Box Office on 01424 229 111 or book online

Films this week at DLWP

Autumn Film Season
Free Documentaries and Feature Films
1 October 2010 – 3 January 2011

To accompany the exhibition Myth, Manners and Memory - Photographers of the American South, we present a film programme comprising documentaries and feature films that explore broad aspects of the American South.

Documentaries are Free, however the Feature Films carry a £3 charge. To Book a ticket please call the Box Office on 01424 229 111.

MORNING DOCUMENTARIES
11am, free

10 - 16 October
William Eggleston in the Real World
2005 Dir. Michael Almereyda
An award-winning documentary revealing the deep connection between the photographer's personality, his groundbreaking work and passions as musician, draftsman and videographer.

AFTERNOON FEATURES
3pm, tickets: £3

11,13,15 October
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
1958 Dir. Richard Brookes 103min (15)
Starring Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman and Burl IvesBased on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Tennessee Williams.

10,12,14 October
O Brother Where Art Thou?
2000 Dir. Joel and Ethan Coen 108min (12)
Starring George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson
Hilarious comedy in which three escaped convicts search for hidden treasure.

16 October
God and Generals
2003 Dir. Ronald F. Maxwell 231min (12A)
Starring Robert Duvall, Stephen Lang and Jeff DanielsAn unforgettable story of the Civil War following the rise and fall of legendary war hero "Stonewall Jackson".

Season tickets can be purchased for only £35 for the whole autumn film season. Click here to buy Season Ticket

Click here to see the Autumn Film Season

For information and bookings call the Box Office on 01424 229 111

Saturday 9th October 2-5pm Gallery Interaction

What a glorious weekend. Thanks to everyone who took part in the interaction afternoon on Saturday. The gallery was very busy and as usual there was a diverse audience all engaging at different levels to a fascinating show. This was my first session on a Saturday for the De La Warr and I hugely enjoyed meeting everyone. The brief I set for this week was for participants to pick out objects within the images that they noticed as being relevant for either, how much they had changed, or how little they had changed, to the equivalent object that we might see today. I have included in this blog drawings that some of the exhibition visitors drew. For example Susan Lipper's photograph with the TV was a big hit in opening a dialogue with all age groups and all levels of visual understanding. This interaction session was hoping to instigate a deeper understanding of the images and develop the process of looking. Everyone was keen to discuss with me their choices and the relevance of the objects in both political, symbolic and historical terms. I had many engaging conversations with a number of gallery visitors who were interested in a very diverse range of topics; from camera types to film choices, printing techniques, cultural and identity politics, history, politics, advertising and so much more. The exhibition seems to be raising many questions about our relationship with photography and its reliance as a record of a place and its political history. Cant wait for my next session which will be on the 30th December where I shall be instigating some gallery discussions focused on the political implications of the photographs and their success or failure at representing history. Sorry if your image is not included I am limited by space.