Emily Allchurch: Towner Gallery Acquisition

Emily Allchurch’s work ‘Return to Port (after Ravilious)’ has been acquired by the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne for their permanent collection.

The artwork was originally commissioned last year as part of ‘Following Ravilious – Newhaven Views’, marking Towner’s hosting of the Turner Prize in 2023/24.

Four contemporary artists (Emily Allchurch, Charlotte Prodger, Mark Titchner and Jo Lamb), created responses to some of Eric Ravilious’s best loved images of Newhaven from Towner’s collection, which were reproduced at a giant billboard scale in a free public art trail around the harbour and town last summer.

Allchurch’s piece, ‘Return to Port (after Ravilious)’, recreates Ravilious’ 1935 watercolour ‘Channel Steamer, Leaving Harbour’. The bright cabin lights and billowing steam from the ship’s funnel in the original painting add excitement, and a wonderful anticipation about the voyage ahead. The port of Newhaven, and the ferry itself, has naturally been modernised in the intervening 90 years, but Emily’s interpretation of the scene today aims to capture the same drama, witnessing the arrival of the Transmanche ferry, having completed its similar crossing from Dieppe.

Visit the Towner Gallery | See other works by Emily Allchurch