Press Cuttings

Naked Statue of Artist Causes Stir

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.

Explosion of Art

Sixty distinct art courses will be starting in towns and villages from Stoborough to Lyme Regis and Chetnole to Charmouth next term.

Michael Chappell's courses at Loders an Beaminster were new last year.

"They have been successful and Loders Village Hall has proved to be a fantastic venue," says deputy programme manager, Jo Durow.

"Michael will guide you from your first tentative marks to finished paintings."

The course aims to develop practical drawing and paintings skills, from beginner to improver.

"As long as you have an open mind, a willingness to experiment and try new things, then this is for you," says Michael. "You can expect to have fun, working at your own pace, with one-to-one guidance and group tuition."

Detailed information and materials required are given on the course information sheet.

The courses include art and design GCSE, art for everyone, beginning painting, glass painting, life drawing , using watercolours and many more.

For details call the Bridport AE Centre on 01308 425185.

"If there are no places available near you and you can get come like-minded people together let us know and we will do our best to set up a course in your village," says Jo Durow.

Dead Bird Art Branded Sick

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.

Don't Rubbish my Art

Artist Michael Chappell is set to ruffle a few feathers with a new exhibition featuring a dead seabird and rubbish.

Mr Chappell, of Bridport, cam under fire last year when his sculpture of a dead bird in a cage won best in its class at the Bridport Open Arts competition.

And his new solo exhibition at the art centre is also set to spark a wave of controversy with remains of a dead seabird in one of his pieces called "From the Cradle to the Grave".

The show also exhibits hanging collections of rubbish found on local beaches including old shoes, tyres, cigarette lighters, pieces of wood and metal as well as seascape paintings.

Mr Chappell said: "i don't set out to cause controversy but a number of people did take offence at my work.

"Everything I use in my art is found on the beach and that includes the dead seabirds. The beach is like my own art store.

"Most of my work surrounds the sea and it's also about life, death, pain and a lot of other things.

"Art is not just pretty pictures hanging on a wall.

"It should ask questions, raise issues and make people angry and read different things into it.

"I hope this exhibition will be successful and that people will come along and make up their own minds about my work"

Mr Chappell's competition entry of a dead bird in a cage sculpture, simply called Bird, was criticised last year by local sculptor and retired art teacher, Len Wilshaw.

He compared the sculpture with controversial artist Damien Hirst's dead cow exhibit which won the Turner Prize.

But Mr Chappell said: "Getting criticism is better than getting no reaction at all and there are a lot of people who like what I do.

"Being compared to Damien Hirst is very flattering and I thank Len for making his comments because it means hundreds of people come to look at art who have probably never done that before."

Mr Wilshaw said: "As far as I am concerned sculpture is something that is made and not picked up off the beach like a dead bird."

A preview of the exhibition is taking place on Saturday between 6.30pmand 8.30pm and director of the art centre, Chris Huxley, said: "It's great to have Michael back with a solo show.

"His work is intriguing, thought-provoking and provocative and I'm sure our visitors will get a lot from the show."

The show will run on Tuesdays to Saturdays starting on Tuesday April 23rd until May 18, from 10am to 4pm in the foyer and café galleries at the Bridport Art Centre in South Street, admission is free.

Controversial Artists Becomes a Monk

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

Dead Bird Gets Arty Revival

A controversial artist who uses bits of seabird and rubbish in his exhibitions is launching a new show.

Bridport artist Michael Chappell opened his show a Bridport Arts Centre, South Street Bridport, this week featuring a dead seabird in a piece called From the Cradle to the Grave.

Old shoes, tyres, cigarette lighters and pieces of wood and metal are also being exhibited alongside his seaside paintings.

He has already faced criticism from local sculptor Len Wilshaw who last year compared his sculpture of a dead bird in a cage to Damien Hirst's famous dead cow, which won the Turner Prize.

M Chappell said he did not set out to cause controversy but simply used everything he found at the beach in his work.

The show will run on Tuesdays to Saturdays, starting on Tuesday 23rd april until Saturday 18th May from 10am to 4pm in the foyer and café galleries at the Bridport Art Centre in South Street. Admission Free.

Award Winner Sparks Debate

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.

A Material World

Bridport’s now famous Michael Chappell told me he will use anything at all he finds washed up on the beach in his work. Readers will certainly remember the dead bird, but he has also used hedgehog skin, bones, lighters, bitumen, wax, soil, melted plastic, rusty nails and discarded household paint.

Problems arise from such exotic media, such as the bitumen not drying for months; accidentally setting fire to some of his other work; molten wax spilled all over his carpet; and not being able to exhibit something for ages until the ghastly smell had subsided somewhat! Chappell has put up with a lot in order to show the public what art can be, rather than what it should be, including personal and hurtful attacks. Nitsch (amongst others) shows us that being an artist is all about redefining boundaries and experimenting with modes of expression. No one is asking you to like what these artists produce!