A rather special art exhibition opened a couple of days ago in an unassuming arch just east of Shelter Hall on Brighton’s seafront: Personae by Dan & Serg.

Dan Flores is the artist; Sergio Rodriguez is the photographer, and together they’ve created an exhibition across both media (as well as some sculpture) that puts people at its heart, capturing the posed and the candid; the earthly and the ethereal.

Among the eclectic assortment of characters, we had a beautifully melancholic portrait of Dame Julie Walters. Also featured prominently were the winners of Channel 4’s ‘Handcuffed’, Rob Makin & Charlie Gray, who attended the opening night, with Rob as the exhibition’s poster boy. Another of the subjects in attendance was Steve Attwell, who features in several pieces, including one where he’d commissioned Dan & Serg to create the cover for his debut novel ME Caveman you narcissist. The image of this huge bear of a man in boxer shorts and sliders holding a fluffy dog and dragging his luggage behind him creates a myriad of images and questions in itself.

Some of the artworks, such as ‘Green Guardian ’, felt almost abstract, while much of the rest takes the subject and, by representing their distinct qualities, provides an intimacy from the hyper-masculine to the delicate and playful. I also particularly loved the wicked, manic quality of ‘Twinkle’ that used subtle layers of different materials and provides a textural quality you might feel compelled to touch (I successfully resisted doing that).

Along with the posed portraits, much of the photography was taken on the streets of Brighton, capturing moments that perfectly encapsulated this quirky city, with others taken during our annual Brighton Pride event.

I’m no expert in art, and I don’t have a particular style or taste that I’m drawn to, but I felt some connection with the work on display here. I thoroughly recommend giving this exhibition a visit and you might well bump into one or both of the charming artists while you’re there.