Chichester Open Art 2004

Taking place in a different venue and with some newly introduced entry conditions, the 2004 Chichester Open Art Exhibition presents a very different kind of show to any of its distinguished predecessors. The most noticeable change is in the size of the works now permitted – a 6ft maximum dimension –and while size is never, in itself, a guarantee of quality, it does perhaps allow for work of a greater range and ambition to be submitted. There is certainly a splendid variety of work on display here, from the abstract and expressive to the figurative and poetic, all of it, we believe, marked by a degree of artistic integrity and thoughtfulness that is gradually helping the Chichester Open to establish itself among the most interesting shows of its kind in the country.

I would meanwhile like to thank my fellow judges, the painters Therese Oulton and Professor Andrzej Jackowski for the time, care and attention they have given to it, to David Legg-Willis and his team of volunteers for making the selection process (some 700+ works in all) such an easy and comparatively painless task, and to Neil Holland and Tim Sandys-Renton for then turning our selection into such a handsome, thought-provoking and, above all, coherent whole – no easy task.