Brown Clown

This was one version of 'Brown Clown' and the picture from a childs colouring in book that inspired it. Brown Clown was exhibited in the exhibition Jon referred to as 'Rod's Reading room' a second version was exhibited in Jon's final show; Colecorner

Gratitude

A quote from Jon referring to the long period of angst associated with the ongoing problems suffered whilst fixing the toilet on the floor below his attic studio.

'Thank you for the sweet and total sensation of release, it is good and seems to be going on, and pull the chain with ease'.

Studio

On the top floor of 12 Claremont, Jon had his attic studio space. Jon had one end of this space that stretched the full length of the building. In the middle area and opposite were spaces used by Jon's brother Marley and friend Tim Corrigan. At times other artists such as Sarah Kimber also used indeterminate areas in this huge wooden floored space.

Write Off

A 2 week workshop with a group of young teenagers with Prader Willi syndrome culminating in an exhibition at 12 Claremont Hastings

There’s something extraordinarily satisfying and deeply challenging about the physical experience of cutting into something, then separating the fragments of a once-conventional structure exposing the inner layers, layers which remain clearly visible against the outside surfaces. The newly exposed edges talk of the violence and struggle encountered during this seemingly doomed process leaving us with alternative forms of expression.

Kenton Lowe and Jonathan Cole infamous for their anarchic artistic approach to their practices collaborated their disciplines of sculpture and painting in this most recent project and joined forces with New Directions, a residential home caring for young people suffering from Prada Willi Syndrome. Ashley Redford, Barry Gore, Emma Harrington, Gregg Wilcox, Ian Dessent, Josh Courtauld, Mark Porter, Nick Walker, Paula Densham, Ryan Keane, Sam Newman and Sanchia Lowejoined Jon and Kenton and through a combination of enthused aggression and exhilarated expression, the space in the Pine Gallery at 12 Claremont in Hastings was transformed to bring together this exciting show entitled ‘Write Off’.

As Tim Cole writes 'the most brutal tool in the kit - the grinder meets the most dangerous object ever created - the car. Part autopsy, part challenge, partly the act of parting, the group concentrate on the task of dividing a car and forging friendships and new skills in the process'.

The Film of the workshop with original soundtrack by Marley Cole can be viewed here:

These photographs document the installation and the exhibition

Philip Cole

Background moods

Pine Gallery, 12 Claremont, Hastings

Jonathan Cole and Phillip Harvey, Nicholas May, Andrew Milne-Hume

opened October 16th – October 31st 2005 with Special guests Uncle Gav's band

Painters love paint and often find themselves intoxicated by its magic. For the four artists in this exhibition, paint is not only the means of depicting images but also an intrinsic part of the subject matter.

To the non-painter paint as a subject matter can seem a banal and self–regarding preoccupation. Making art about the mechanics of making art is the refuge of the technician. However, good art goes way past the means of its creation and these paintings are about more than just paint.

The exhibiting artists span a range of attitudes towards painting and it would be difficult to superimpose a homogenous approach onto such disparate practise, however, how the paintings are painted is fundamental to all four artists.

Thirty, Forty, Lift

A 12 Claremont Open day culminating in an evening party. The title referred to Marley and Jon's birthday year and the celebration and relief for Jon, in completing the lift project.

YOU ARE INVITED TO CELEBRATE WITH US THE REFURBISHMENT OF 12 CLAREMONT, HASTINGS SATURDAY 25TH JUNE 12-4 PM. 4pm approx performance on beach by CANDLAND ARTISTS T&T. GUIDED TOURS OF THE NEW FACILITIES ON THE HOUR EVERY HOUR. MEET THE ARTISTS, JOIN OUR MAILING LIST, FIND OUT ABOUT OUR ACTIVITIES,

FREE CUP OF TEA OR COFFEE AT THE EAT @ 12 CLAREMONT CAFE.

EVENING PARTY IN THE BASEMENT EIGHT TIL LATE DJS ON ROTATION: JIM BULL - HALF CAN STAN - NEIL BONES - SKIP DONAHUE - BOB WEATHERALL - CARTER(LIVE) -TURKTOWN ALL STARS(LIVE)

 

ABOUT 12 CLAREMONT in June 2005

 

12 Claremont is a five storey, mixed use arts space situated in the centre of Hastings next to the central library. It was built originally in 1880s as one of the first YMCA centres in the country. The building is owned and managed by artists Jonathan Cole and Caroline Le Breton who are also active in supporting the formation and continuing development of Claremont Studios, a group of ten professional contemporary artists who rent space in the building.

The centre is an example of how regeneration and provision of community space can be privately initiated and led by local residents. The business is run on a social enterprise model with a small proportion of commercial lets subsidising the lower rates charged to artists for studios.

 

OCCUPANTS

EAT @ Café, Claremont Studios, The Arts Council South East Creative Partnerships

 

COMMUNITY SPACE

The Old YMCA Reading Room has been restored and is available to for community hire. It is used regularly for yoga, pilates, shiatsu, dance classes meetings, presentations and training

 

RESTORATION

The building has undergone three years of renovation. Funded largely by the owners with contributions from grants from the Arts Council South East, Hastings Town Center Management and Sussex Enterprise.

 

The refurbishment of the works to date are:

• new roof

• restoration of the front façade,

• complete replacement and modernisation of the back façade

• internal adaptations and modernisation of the interior

• installation of an eight-person passenger lift to four floors

Red Roaster

Jon exhibited a number of new works at the Red Roaster in Brighton. The cafe is a well known landmark situated at the bottom of St James' street in Kemptown, Brighton. The remarkable pictures were based on a newspaper cutting of a group of figures that included Osama Bin Laden. Jon named the figure in these images as 'the third man'.

Jon also showed two of the Ali pictures that had first appeared in the Spitz Gallery.

Philip Cole