A Bridport artist who caused a flap when he exhibited a dead seagull in a cage got the bird again this week for his latest creation - a giant statue of himself in the nude.

Michael Chappell's exhibit called Marine Artist came a close second in the vote for the most popular piece of work at the recent Bridport Open Art Competition.

Made from wood and other debris he found on local beaches it was inspired by a painting by Lucien Freud and proved to be one of the most thought-provoking pieces at the show.

But Mr Chappell's fiercest critic, professional artist Len Wilshaw, 90, is still not impressed.

He described it as a "load of twigs stuck together" - not "a proper sculpture" at all.

Mr Chappell first ruffled feathers two years ago when his entry entitled simply "Bird" was awarded a first prize in the sculpture competition.

Featuring a bandaged bird in a cage it incorporated the head, wings and claws of a dead gull and was branded "sick" by Mr Wilshaw at the time.

This week Mr Chappell said he was delighted his latest work had been greeted with public acclaim rather than causing an upset.

"Paradoxically my work is intended to be taken seriously, and yet be humorous at the same time," he said.

"I was please that this piece was appreciated by even when my work offends people that is much better than being ignored.

"To those who say I only make these controversial constructions because I have no artistic talent I suspect they just have blinkered views about art."

But Mr Wilshaw retorted: "Call it a statement or even a work of art if you like," he said.

"It was certainly amusing but in my opinion a sculpture is something that is absolutely permanent and if you put that outside it would eventually disintegrate."

He said that since their public bust-up over the dead bird exhibit the two men had learned to get along.

Mr Chappell is inviting critics to his latest exhibition which opens at the Wellbeloved Gallery on Portland next week. - "to see if my paintings are more to their taste".

His work is also to be featured at Affordable Art at Christmas exhibition at the Emett Gallery in Beaminster.

My Wilshaw's sculptures can be viewed at the Pierrepoint Gallery in South Street, Bridport.

Bridport News, Friday November 21, 2003.
 

A dead bird in a cage- judged best in its class a Bridport open arts competition - was this week branded "sick" by a previous show winner.

The entry, simply entitled "Bird", incorporates the head, wings and claws of a dead seagull and won the sculpture and installation class at the exhibition, now underway at Bridport Arts Centre.

It is the work of professional artist Michael Chappell, of Bridport, who spent three years planning his creation -designed to highlight animal cruelty.

But feathers are flying after local sculptor and retired art teacher Len Wilshaw slammed the exhibit as tasteless.

He to The News it was on a par with controversial artist Damien Hirst's dead cow exhibit which won the Turner Prize.

"HEre we have a dead bird in a cage and they call it sculpture," he told The News. "What kind of sick society are we living in? A dead bird in a cage wins a sculpture prize in preference to fine wood and stone sculptures."

Mr Wilshaw who won the same category with one of his wood sculptures some three years ago, said he had refused to enter the competition this time after last year's contest was won by a doll's bed.

"I was so disgusted at that I have refused to put work in," he said.

But Mr Chappell said there was nothing sick about his exhibit and claimed Mr Wilshaw clearly didn't understand modern art. It was not meant to represent a craft or skill but to ask a question.

"That's what my piece is about," he said.

Mr Chappell said he had been thinking about this particular exhibit for some three years and had found the dead bird on the beach.

"A lot of thought and care has gone into this - if you look in the comments book you will see people have written remarks like ' thank you for making us think'," he said.

"Mr Wilshaw is upset about me putting a dead bird in a cage - I am upset about people putting live birds in a cage - he has made my point for me beautifully."

Mr Chappell added that he was "flattered" to be mentioned in the same breath as Damien Hirst.

Frances Everett administrator at the Bridport Arts Centre also defended the exhibit. They were a democratic organisation open to all forms of art, she stressed.

"If we thought that the bird had been unnecessarily killed for the piece would have been horrified and would not have accepted it," she said.

"But the artist did not do anything to the bird, - he found it dead already."

She said the piece was about life and death and how we use animals - how we should not keep birds in cages.

The exhibition runs until September 15.

Bridport News, Friday August 31 2001

A Bridport artist with a habit of causing controversy has become a “Monk “.

Michael J Chappell makes thought provoking sculptures from rubbish he finds on the beach, including a hedgehog skin, dead birds and plastic lighters.

He last caused a stir with a giant sculpture of himself in the nude. Previously he upset critics with his dead bird in a cage, which won first prize in the Bridport open art contest.

Now he has joined a group of West Dorset artists who call themselves the Monks as they run a small gallery in an old church schoolroom in Winterborne Monkton, near Dorchester. Each month a visiting artist is also invited to exhibit in the gallery, and these are naturally referred to as pilgrims.

Mr. Chappell said: “It could be my tonsure type hairstyle that had an influence in them asking me to join – together with the fact that I have a “habit” of trying to convert people to look at art in a more informed way through my controversial work.”

Mr. Chappell has also become a sought after painter of dramatic seascapes and landscapes said to capture “the very essence of the changing climate” and these with form the major part of his exhibited work.

Also joining the group is ceramic sculptor Pippa Hill, whose work includes amazingly lifelike cows and cats that are quintessentially feline.

They will be joining with Bill Crumbleholme, a studio potter, Sally Pinhey, painter and illustrator, Jon Sloper, a painter and designer and Eileen Sarup a textile artist, who have been “Monks” for a couple of years.

The artists will hold regular demonstrations, usually at 11am and 2pm each day they are open, which is every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am to 4pm from Easter to Christmas. The gallery is situated 200 yards off the A354 between Dorchester and Weymouth. The Gallery opens from today (Friday) from 10.30am.

Bridport News, Friday 2nd April 2004

Controversial artist Michael J Chappell who has twice been a winner in the Bridport Open Art competition with assemblages using “objets trouvé”, (rubbish off the beach including a dead seagull!) is likely once again to cause a heated debate at a joint exhibition with Marie Blake at the Octagon in Yeovil, as to whether his work is art or just a load of old rubbish!

David Brooke the event organiser said: “Michael’s assemblages, which are fast becoming very collectable are sometimes humorous, often controversial but never dull and we want to bring a wide diversity of art to the Creative Arts at the Octagon.

“People should come and see it for themselves and make up their own mind.”

There are no dead birds this time, but Michael’s work does include old footwear, rope, worn out tyres, driftwood, rusty metal and other detritus washed up on local beaches.

Michael who has suffered much abuse from his critics as well as a great praise from art collectors said: “Artists make art, it is up to others to decide about the merit of the work and although I do not court controversy, I would rather be berated than ignored.”

Alongside Marie Blake’s thought provoking paintings and prints, Michael is showing what is for some the more acceptable side of his work, with his much sought after land and seascape paintings, which capture the very essence of our British climate.

Western Gazette, 5th May 2005