Following its successful debut in 2016, Littoral Light returns on July 28 as part of this month’s Ramsgate Festival.
As the sun sets and the tide recedes 40 British and international artists will exhibit far away from the safe white walls of the gallery, right on the seashore at Dumpton Gap sands with the white cliffs of Ramsgate as the backdrop for a unique and exciting exhibition of sculpture, installation, sound, and light.
The art will be installed, curated and shown in the short time frame between 9pm and 10.30pm before the tide returns. All traces of the exhibition will vanish overnight.
The show has been timed so that the low tide coincides with the sun setting at 9pm and as the natural light fades to total darkness, the works will illuminate the coastline.
Visitors to the exhibition are invited to become part of the show by bringing along their torches and lanterns to light their way as they discover the works amongst the rocks, sand, caves, and cliffs.
Bigger for 2017
In 2016, 15 artists exhibited. This year many more UK and International artists have come forward to take part.
Littoral Light is created by Article 10, a Thanet-based artist collective that works in partnership with Ramsgate Arts to produce the show. The group was formed in 2016 to pioneer innovative approaches to public art in unusual public spaces.
Ramsgate Festival’s theme for 2017 is Dream Marine, celebrating the unique maritime location of the town.
Festival director, Teresa Askew said: “Dream Marine encourages us all to dream, to dream big and to make all our dreams come true. Littoral Light by Article 10 fits perfectly with that ambition and we are thrilled to be able to include it once again in the festival programme after its successful debut last year.”
Artist, Aidan Gray, co-founder of Article 10 and Littoral Light, added: ‘Last year’s show demonstrated that modern art can draw large crowds of people from all walks of life. Local people felt part of the exhibition and have really taken it into their hearts as something that’s special and unique to Ramsgate.’
10 Article co-founder Susan Fletcher said: “Building upon the success of last year we have more than tripled the number of artists taking place this year and are really excited to be exhibiting alongside both local and international artists.”
As well as the UK, exhibitors are from New York, Ireland and Japan.
The Ramsgate Festival
Ramsgate Festival is an arts and culture Festival by Ramsgate Arts and Art Aha Productions. It takes place alongside the historic Ramsgate Week regatta and runs for 9 days from July 22-30.
It will open with Opera for All’s free screening on the beach of Garsington Opera’s new production of Semele and a whole Big Opera Takeover centred around that, produced by Looping the Loop.
Events include Play at the Seaside beach cricket and traditional fairground style fun with Magna Vitae for the ECB and Ramsgate Seadogs, a mini maritime festival within the festival.
It will also include the Ramsgate Slide, a giant waterslide down Royal Parade above the country’s only Royal Harbour, as well as a spectacular Fire Finale on the beach.
Littoral Light – when and where
The exhibition is for one night only on July 28 and runs from 9pm to 10.30pm.
Access to the exhibition is from the Ramsgate end of the beach.
From the car park at the bottom of Marina Road, walk north on the promenade to the very end. Visitors are advised to wear sensible footwear.
More details can be found at www.ramsgatefestival.org .
Report by Lorraine Williams