HODs 2026 - Making 20th Century Silhouettes at the Seaside

Join Annebella Pollen, Professor of Visual and Material Culture at the University of Brighton, for a presentation about the life and work of Brighton's 20th century pier artists, in particular, Hubert Leslie and Arthur Forrester.

Leslie, working from the West Pier was a magician, entertainer and silhouettist of renown.

Much of his work today is held at National Portrait Gallery.

Forrester, his sometime rival, working from the Palace Pier claimed that by the time his studio closed in the 1970s, he had cut a million faces!Notes:The Regency Town House coordinates many HODs events across the city.

To see our full listings or obtain information about last minute changes, go to https://www.rth.org.uk/hods26Please only book the number of tickets you need, to allow as many as possible to enjoy this event. if, after booking, your plans change, please cancel your tickets to free them for others to use.

Thank you.Accessibility details: We are a five-storey Grade I listed historic building of the 1820s.

We have no elevator and access to all but the GF requires the use of stairs.

This event is at GF level and is accessible.Accompanying image: Hubert Leslie, Tourists on the West Pier, Brighton, cut paper silhouette, 1923.

NPG D46509 (c) National Portrait Gallery, London.)