New Waterfront Arts Project Show opens 5th March

This fabulous new paintimng by John Zehentner is for for the brand new Waterfront Arts Project show opening March 2017

If you are anywhere near Southport you just really have to check this out!  The Waterfront Arts Project is an unbelievable collection of local talent.  For those who are fed up with seaside galleries where all that is on display are watercolour paintings of the local scenery this will come as a welcome surprise.  This is art of the calibre of the TATE or Walker and if you love art you won’t want to miss this.  And they’re a generous lot too.  You’ll most likely be treated to free nibbles and drinks if you come to the opening (you might want to make a donation but they seem so embarrassed to ask for anything that you’ll probably have to hunt around to find the donations box on the floor somewhere).  Apart from the amazing realistic surrealism of John Zehentner you can expect some wonderfully dark art from the superb talents of Joan Walmsley, colourful abstract works and thought-provoking political art and satire from other members of the group.  There may be a theme but the art will be vast and varied.  If you are anywhere near Southport on March 5th why not pop down at 2pm and join in the fun. You’ll find the gallery on the Piazza promenade between the Ramada hotel and the Genting Club casino (PR9 0DZ for the satnav and you can park on Ocean Plaza just over the bridge).  If you can’t make it for 5th March it’ll be running until 7th May.

If you want to know more about the Southport Arts Project or you are a local artist who would like to join them you can visit their Facebook page here.

New exhibition at Waterfront Arts Project

Running from July 10th to 4th September is the new Waterfront Arts Project exhibition entitled ‘Beyond the Obvious’. If you are anywhere near southport you really should take a look. You’ll find it in a unit towards the back of the Ramada hotel.  There is a large walkway between the hotel and the Casino/ Genting Club.  Both are located on the promenade and if you are using a satnav then the postcode is PR9 0DZ. Their Facebook page is here.

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2015 Election Art Special

Remember the old days when national elections were fun?  That fabulous time when apart from Lord Such and his wonderful Monster Raving Looney Party there was some bloke who changed his name by deed poll to Margaret Thatcher and stood as a candidate.  Not only that there were fabulous alternatives like “The Best Party I’ve Ever Been To Party” but unfortunately not available in the real elections were the candidates of Monty Python’s Election Special where The Silly Party win by a landslide and the slightly silly candidate Kenneth Philip Bong polls no votes at all but optimistically bursts into song with “Climb Every Mountain …”

Well, in the spirit of the old days as we approach the rather sombre 2015 boring old farts election here is John Zehentner’s amazing contemporary painting appropriately entitled “Don’t Blame Me I Voted Looney”.

More of John Zenentner’s work can be seen at the Southport Arts Project  in Southport along with many other local talented artists.  Entrance is free so well worth a visit if you are there one weekend.  Here is where it is: Southport Arts Project, Promenade, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 0DZ

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The astounding John Zehentner

For several years we have been visiting the art exhibition at Southport that always has some interesting art and sculpture by various talented local people.  There is quite variety and by and large a much higher standard than you’d expect for a free entrance gallery in a seaside resort.  Some of the pieces over the years have been quite large and challenging.  I doubt that anyone who has seen it will ever forget the dimly lit cavern of Buddhist heads

John Zehentner Multirose 1
John Zehentner Multirose 1

and the seriously tragic and truly emotionally moving reality it signifies.  There have been unusual lightshows and audience paticipation art, a variety of scuptural works in various mediums as well as more traditional oil and acrylic paintings.  Amongst the paintings an artist that always stood out, to the point that we’d go in saying, “I wonder if he’s got a new one up” was the art of local artist John Zehentner.

Last week we went to see the art exhibition in its new home round the corner from where it used to be.  The block of units is mostly empty and the owners appear to be allowing this group to use the units that are not sold but this means they do have to move as a unit is sold.  We were pleased to find five John Zehenter paintings on display that we haven’t seen before addressing the current theme of the exhibition which is ‘Metamorphosis’.  One is an old piece based on Smithfield Meat Market in London where John Zehentner comes from (London that is, not the meat market!).  This one is an unusual combination of painting and sculpture with the frame hanging on a meat hook that actually comes from

John Zehentner Abstract Jazz 4
John Zehentner Abstract Jazz 4

Smithfield Meat Market.  Another painting shows a single figure transformed through the mediums of cubism, impressionism and realism from top to bottom.

Onthe way out I remarked to the lady on the door that we particularly like John Zehentner’s work and she pointedto a chap nearby and said, “Actually, this is Mr. Zehentner”.   He explained the thinking behind each picture in quite an understated way and I am pretty sure he has no real idea yet how good he is. Given the attitude of many people to art, like the well-known cliche ‘I don’t know much about art but I know what I like’, it is not hard for a artist to feel that their work is not appreciated.  This is especially so when the best of artists like John Zehentner are their own harshest critic and the standard they aspire to is one that they will probably never reach.   Still, as you can see from the couple of images included here, this is hardly the work of a novice.  This is an artist who has honed his skills and has real vision.  It is also not the work of an

John Zehentner Old People's Home
John Zehentner A Bit of Tea and Sympathy

artist who only knows how to do one particular style or subject.  One of the fascinating aspects of John Zehentner’s art is the range of expression coupled with a human warmth and a sense of humour. But of course you’ll need to see larger versions of his work than these small images to appreciate the style and technique properly.

It was fabulous to be able to discuss the art directly with him and we are going to look at the possibility of making his art available in print form since practically none of it is available as prints or posters at present.  Watch this space and check out our updates page at our main site for developments in this regards.