The Odyssey, Hastings Contemporary, 28 March - 31 May, 2026

Orchard Loop no.137 Orchard Loop no.137 is informed by both scientific research and artistic expression. The piece is made using reclaimed porcelain, recycled ceramic fragments and glazes. Incorporating visual elements inspired by geology, microbiology, or climate science, referencing melting glaciers, desertification patterns, and ocean acidification. By bringing scientific themes into a tactile, three-dimensional space, the piece encourages a more intimate and visceral engagement with climate issues familiar to coastal living, making abstract data feel tangible.

Hastings Contemporary’s first open exhibition brings together artwork by over 150 artists from across the region. Each work offers a unique and personal reflection on the theme of Odyssey, journeying through time, place, imagination and experience. The theme reflects on journeys shaped by tides, time, and transformation, on the restless call of the sea and the stories it inspires. Hastings, a place long defined by its proximity to the coast, provides a fitting setting for such explorations

The exhibited works were selected from over 2,600 entries, and span painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, textiles, ceramics, sculpture, film and installation, reflecting the ambition, diversity and creative bravery of the region