A very special night at Horatio’s Bar, Brighton Pier with films, conversation and talks exploring the work of some of Sussex’s most inspiring, visionary artists. Emma Carlow, Jo Lamb and Isobel Smith will share how they came to dodge art world gate keepers – and allow themselves limitless imaginary funds to enable their creative imaginations to run riot – through the creation of an imaginary Arts Foundation, Fondamento Scherzo.
There will be films and Q&A with Brighton’s Spirit House creator Jim Sanders, a short documentary with The Flint Grotto creator Rory McCormack and, in conversation with host David Bramwell, Radiohead, The Smile and Robert McFarlane collaborator, artist Stanley Donwood.

Stanley Donwood is best-known for the graphics and covers of all Radiohead albums since 1994 and, more recently, album artwork for The Smile. He also creates the artwork for Glastonbury Festival and for many years has illustrated book covers for Robert Macfarlane books, including Underland and 2025’s Is A River Alive? A prolific artist and writer, he is the author of many books including There Will Be No Quiet, Ness and Bad Island. His work veers from the apocalyptic to hallucinatory visions of nature. He’s particularly fond of trees.
www.slowlydownward.com

Jim Sanders is a Brighton-based artist working predominantly in drawing, painting, collage and constructed sculpture, to create large scale installations and immersive environments.
Jim is best known as creator of The Spirit House a monumental art installation that Sanders effectively inhabits. Shaman-like rituals and performances take place in the Spirit House referencing a vast range of visual languages and anthropological connections to pull the past into the present and frame the essential questions of existence.
@sansjimsanders

The Fondamento Dello Scherzo is an arts foundation invented by Emma Carlow, Jo Lamb and Isobel Smith in order to dodge art world gate keepers, and allow themselves limitless imaginary funds to enable their creative imaginations to run riot. In the summer of 2022 their fictional benefactors generously funded an imaginary trip to Japan. In 2023 the Sussex village of Slynde was invented, with tales centred around a Priory, an anchorite, a pantomime-horse burial site, a box of old puppets and a bogey man, the Earl of Slynde. In 2024, they exhibited their Slynde findings at Glynde Place, and they delved deeper into the character and pursuits of their imaginary backers, Gloria, Lorenzo and Fabrice Scherzo. The artists continue to swerve and merge fantasy and reality, and have been excited to see the Scherzo family take on a life of their own.
@fondamento_scherzo_

In April Jane Bom-Bane brought her pedal harmonium and treated us to two enchanting, aquatic-themed songs. We were given a brief history of the more experimental aspects of early photography by artist Becky Edmunds and shown some of her stunning pieces that combine stitch-work with B&W found photographs. (Check out her work at becky-edmunds.com). The Depot’s Robert Senior gave a not-for-the-squeamish talk on Video Nasties of the Eighties with clips of axe-wielding, brain-eating, eyeball piercing psychopaths along with two uncensored clips of Mary Whitehouse. Our final speaker Alex Leith came fully dressed as a yokel to take us through the baffling, contradictory and hilarious rules of Dwile Flonking which is played annually at the Lewes Arms. Alex’s talk involved a spot of audience participation as well as your host having a sopping beer-towel (dwile) flonked at him with a large stick (driveller). Next Dwile Flonking event is May 4th at the Lewes Arms…not to be missed!

It was a memorable night and slightly over-capacity so I promise here and now to ensure everyone is guaranteed a seat for all future events there!

We’re back May 8th with Julia Winkler and, all the way from Worthing, Adrian Sensile and Speakeasy host Pete Fij.

In April Jane Bom-Bane brought her pedal harmonium and treated us to two enchanting, aquatic-themed songs. We were given a brief history of the more experimental aspects of early photography by artist Becky Edmunds and shown some of her stunning pieces that combine stitch-work with B&W found photographs. (Check out her work at becky-edmunds.com). The Depot’s Robert Senior gave a not-for-the-squeamish talk on Video Nasties of the Eighties with clips of axe-wielding, brain-eating, eyeball piercing psychopaths along with two uncensored clips of Mary Whitehouse. Our final speaker Alex Leith came fully dressed as a yokel to take us through the baffling, contradictory and hilarious rules of Dwile Flonking which is played annually at the Lewes Arms. Alex’s talk involved a spot of audience participation as well as your host having a sopping beer-towel (dwile) flonked at him with a large stick (driveller). Next Dwile Flonking event is May 4th at the Lewes Arms…not to be missed!

It was a memorable night and slightly over-capacity so I promise here and now to ensure everyone is guaranteed a seat for all future events there!

We’re back May 8th with Julia Winkler and, all the way from Worthing, Adrian Sensile and Speakeasy host Pete Fij.

Entertaining Talks on Outsider Music with David Bramwell
(Plus a song or two from David and Jane Bom-Bane)

Why did the world’s worst orchestra split up at the peak of their powers? Who were they? Why did Brian Eno join them on clarinet? Did they really shock the classical world and get banned from the airwaves, despite a Top 20 hit?
This entertaining and thought-provoking talk uncovers the group’s unique history, offers (hilarious) recordings and rare film footage and asks Zappa’s famous question: does humour belong in music?

Poet and musician Ivor Cutler is best-known for his funny, surreal and bittersweet poems and songs. He was also interested in silence, Zen philosophy and nonsense. A lifelong fan of Cutler’s work, in 2018 David presented Ivor Cutler at 90 as a BBC R4 Archive on Four and has twice performed onstage with Ivor’s partner Phyllis King. In this second talk David explore’s what made this dour Scotsman such a unique talent and reveals how his own, strange relationship with Ivor led to his being given access to an extensive archive of Cutler’s work. Expect plenty of pregnant pauses, knees pickled in cheese and a harmonium drenched song or two at the end from David and Jane.