Exhibition: Nothing in the world but Youth, Margate

Dexter Dalwood
(born England, 1960)
The Poll Tax Riots, 2005

Oil on canvas
Private collection, London

Dexter Dalwood constructs imagined scenes which act as memorials to his visions of recent history. Although inspired by the violent demonstration against the Poll Tax in Trafalgar Square in 1990, this painting is no accurate document. Graffiti-covered walls tower over the crowd and Nelson's Column is nowhere to be seen; the demonstrations in central London seem to have merged with those in Berlin and Eastern Europe the previous year.

Martin Brand

(born Germany, 1975)

Fight for your Right, 2005

James Webb

This painting depicts Margate seen from towards the end of pier, which formerly stood close to where turner Contemporary is now situated. The pier opened to the public in 1855 and was finally destroyed in a storm in 1978. Many of the buildings visible in the background no longer exist; some, including the prominent Holy Trinity Church with the tall tower to the left, were destroyed during the second World War. 

The artist James Webb (1825-1895) was a prominent British painter who exhibited frequently at the Royal Academy and the British Institute in London. An admirer of JW Turner, he was known for his landscapes and especially his marine scenes like this one, which he painted in light colours. This painting was known as one of Webb's finest works. 

A view of Margate from the Pier was brought to Margate in 1925 having been discovered in Harrogate by a town councillor. It was purchased by the local council with the help of donations from members of the community. It was the first artwork acquired for a proposed new art gallery in Margate though the plans were not realised at the time. The painting hung in Margate Library in Victoria Road until its closure in 1974 when it was moved to the new Library in Cecil Square, and then more recently to the Winter Gardens .