A new art exhibition exploring the connections between landscape, cultural identity, memory and belonging.
Southsea Cinema & Arts Centre is delighted to announce Harmony and Sea, a new exhibition by artist Gill Zulu, running from 6 November to 22 December 2026 at the Southsea Community Cinema & Arts Centre, 1–3 Palmerston Road, Southsea, Portsmouth.
Working across watercolour, acrylic and mixed media, Gill Zulu brings together memories of her life in Zambia and her experiences of living in Southsea in a vibrant, deeply personal exploration of place, identity and belonging. Through expressive brushwork, vivid colours and richly layered textures, her work reveals the contrasts and connections between two landscapes that have shaped her life.
At the heart of the exhibition is Gill’s profound emotional relationship with the Southsea coastline. Her seascapes capture the ever-changing moods of the sea, from dramatic skies and restless waves to fleeting moments of tranquillity and light. These are more than representations of the natural world: they are personal reflections on memory, migration, cultural heritage and the search for a sense of home.
Poetry also plays an important role in Gill’s artistic practice, with words and imagery intertwining to create layered narratives that invite viewers to look beyond the surface. Her paintings encourage us to consider how places become part of who we are, holding our memories, shaping our identities and connecting our past with our present.
Harmony and Sea offers audiences an opportunity to experience the coastline through the eyes of an artist whose creative journey spans continents, cultures and decades. By bringing together the landscapes of Zambia and Southsea, Gill invites visitors to discover the harmony that can emerge from different experiences, places and ways of seeing the world.
An Artistic Journey from Zambia to Southsea
Gill Zulu’s creative practice has been shaped by a lifelong commitment to the visual arts. Since graduating in Textile Design from West Surrey College of Art and Design, now the University for the Creative Arts, in 1988, she has developed an extensive artistic and professional career.
From 2000 to 2020, Gill lived in Zambia, where she exhibited at the National Art Gallery of Zambia and participated in exhibitions in both Zambia and the UK. Her contribution to the arts extended beyond her own practice: she served as Projects Development Manager at the National Art Gallery of Zambia and as Chair of the Southern Province Visual Arts Council of Zambia.
Returning to the UK in March 2020, Gill continued to develop her artistic practice, drawing inspiration from her surroundings and her evolving relationship with place. She has also exhibited as part of the annual Summer Exhibition of the Portsmouth and Hampshire Art Society.
Her work reflects the richness of a life lived between cultures, bringing together professional experience, personal history and a keen sensitivity to the landscapes and communities around her.
An Invitation to Reflect, Connect and Discover
Through Harmony and Sea, Gill invites viewers to reflect on how landscapes become repositories of personal history and cultural identity. Her paintings explore the ways in which memories travel with us, how our surroundings influence our sense of belonging, and how art can express experiences that words alone cannot fully capture.
For Southsea audiences, the exhibition offers a fresh perspective on a familiar coastline, encouraging visitors to pause, look again and discover the emotional stories held within the sea, sky and shifting horizon.
Southsea Cinema & Arts Centre is proud to present exhibitions that bring artists and audiences together, celebrate creative expression and enrich the cultural life of the local community. Harmony and Sea continues this commitment by offering a space for reflection, conversation and an appreciation of the arts.
Exhibition Details
Exhibition: Harmony and Sea — An Exhibition by Gill Zulu
Dates: Friday 6 November – Tuesday 22 December 2026
Preview Event: Friday 6 November, 5:00 pm–8:00 pm
Venue: Southsea Community Cinema & Arts Centre
Address: 1–3 Palmerston Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 3QQ
Opening hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 12 noon–7:00 pm
Visitors are warmly invited to experience Gill Zulu’s evocative paintings and discover an exhibition that celebrates the beauty of the coastline, the depth of memory and the connections that make a place feel like home.
