The Art of the Hoarding

Friday 12 - Sunday 21 September 2025

Open 24 hours - No ticket required

Artist Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898) was born in Buckingham Road, Brighton. He attended Brighton Grammar School from 1884 -1888 which, at that time, was situated on the corner of Buckingham Road and Upper Gloucester Road (the site currently being developed by Martin Homes). Beardsley was an advocate of artistic poster design and in 1894 he wrote an article, ‘The Art of the Hoarding’, defending the poster artist:

‘Still there is a general feeling that the artist who puts his art into the poster is déclassé – on the streets – and consequently of light character. The critics can discover no brush work to prate of, the painter looks askance upon a thing that achieves publicity without a frame, and beauty without modelling, and the public find it hard to take seriously a poor printed thing left to the mercy of sunshine, soot and shower, like any old fresco over an Italian church door.

…But if there be any who desire to know – not how posters are made – but how they should be, I doubt not that I could give them the addresses of one or two gentlemen who, having taken art under their wing, would give all necessary information.’

As the former site of Beardsley's school is surrounded by hoarding, it seems fitting to celebrate street art here. This installation brings together the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries. Beardsley's poster design is flanked by portraits of him; creations of contemporary poster artists from England and France.

The Artists

Aubrey Beardsley was born in Brighton in 1872 and attended Brighton Grammar School. After a brief period as an insurance clerk in London, he followed the advice of painter Sir Edward Burne-Jones and became a professional artist. During his short career Beardsley illustrated works such as Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, Wilde’s Salome and Pope’s The Rape of the Lock. As the art editor of the Decadent journals The Yellow Book and The Savoy, he achieved notoriety for his black and white work – fine sweeping lines coupled with an element of the grotesque. Sadly, he suffered with tuberculosis and died at the tragically early age of 25. Despite this, his reputation as a significant figure in the Aesthetic movement continues to flourish.

Hailing from Brighton, The Postman is a street artist duo whose striking pop-art murals have left their mark on cities around the world. The Postman’s mission is to beautify urban spaces with bold colours and a feel-good energy. By celebrating cultural icons from across music, film, fashion and beyond, their work invites inclusivity and resonates with a broad and diverse audience.

thepostmanart.com

Delphine Delas is a French urban artist. Trained in Paris, she established a professional artistic career in 2008. While living in Barcelona, she began making her first interventions in the street. Delphine’s art is articulated and often alternates between collage, murals and mapping. She also pays particular attention to the chosen postures of her characters in public spaces offering, if possible, a dialogue and thus opening a potential narrative.

facebook.com/delphinedelasartwork

This installation is presented by Victorians Valued as part of Heritage Open Days 2025

With kind permission from Martin Homes and The Eddy 'Edinburgh' pub, and enormous gratitude to the artists: Delphine, The Postman and Aubrey.