A new exhibtition at the Thelma Hulbert Gallery will explore change in natural landscape and land use revealing a multitude of stories and connections which cut through time, challenge our perception and pose environmental and social questions.

This exhibition partners University of Exeter, Honiton Community College and the Blackdown Hills AONB, Thelma Hulbert Gallery (THG).

The first exhibition in the programme 'Paradise Found: New Visions of the Blackdown Hills' explores the Blackdown Hills through the lens of 36 leading contemporary artists alongside works by members of the Camden Town Group.

Between 1911 and 1925 the Blackdown Hills were a source of inspiration for the avant-garde painters of the Camden Town Group including Spencer Gore, Charles Ginner and Robert Bevan. They captured the ancient landscape influenced by the French artistic approach of Cezanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh. The contemporary artists have recaptured the same sites and these works will be exhibited alongside loans of drawings, photographs and paintings made by Gore, Ginner and Bevan.

The environment has changed little over the last 100 years, partly due to its inaccessibility for modern development. From the surreal, abstracted, expressionist and the hyper-real to the conceptual and post-modern, the Blackdown subjects will be a vehicle to survey and consider recent developments of drawing and painting in the British landscape tradition.

The exhibition is curated by Tim Craven, Fiona McIntyre and Sandra Higgins. It will provide a fascinating insight into the ecological, social, industrial and historic issues particular to the Blackdown Hills over the same 100-year period, examining the values and characteristics which so attracted the Camden Town artists.

The accompanying programme will include a talk by Patrick Baty on Stanisława De Karlowska, a curator’s talk by Sandra Higgins, a curator's talk and workshop with Fiona McIntyre, a performative walk with artist Luke M. Walker and ending with a closing lecture by Tim Craven on 'The History of the Camden Town Group'.

The exhibition launches THG's Create Our Space (COS) programme, which will provide new dynamic and inclusive opportunities to engage with arts, culture and climate, responding to the needs of East Devon’s young people aged 7-25.

18 March, 4pm: Join us at the exhibition opening for a talk from Patrick Baty on Stanisława De Karlowska

Dates of the exhibition - 12 May, 5pm: Curator’s talk by Sandra Higgins  ‘A brush with nature’

13 May: Luke M. Walker performative walk from Blackdown Hills to THG

3 June, 3pm: Closing lecture from Tim Craven 'The History of the Camden Town Group'

For more information on this exhibition and the accompanying workshops, visit the Thelma Hulbert Gallery website here - https://www.thelmahulbert.com/?q=exhibitions/paradise-found-new-visions-blackdown-hills