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Prem Sahib's 'Chamber' Survey Opens at De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill

opinion-review · 2026-10-12

Prem Sahib's mid-career exhibition titled 'Chamber' is on display at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill from 10 October 2026 to 3 January 2027. The 44-year-old English artist presents a collection of minimalistic and claustrophobic pieces designed to provoke unease. Notable works include an inverted sodium street lamp, puffer jackets encased in glass, and a table crafted from a flea's body. Central to the theme of queerness are double doors salvaged from a defunct leather bar in Mile End and a water fountain sourced from Chariots sauna. An obsidian mirror reflects a slowed homophobic rant. Despite some criticism, including a recording of Suella Braverman, Sahib's intense minimalist approach earns him recognition as one of the UK's most compelling artists.

Key facts

  • Prem Sahib: Chamber is at De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, from 10 October 2026 to 3 January 2027
  • Sahib is a 44-year-old English artist and the show is a mid-career survey
  • Double doors in the exhibition were taken from a Mile End leather bar that closed in 2022
  • A resin-encased water fountain comes from Chariots sauna in Shoreditch, which closed in 2016
  • Two acrylic discs nod to the visual results of rapid HIV tests
  • An obsidian mirror plays a slowed-down recording of a homophobic rant sent to Sahib on a gay chat room
  • A recording of Suella Braverman discussing the migrant crisis is heard while looking out at the sea
  • The review calls a big institutional show for Sahib long overdue

Entities

Artists

  • Prem Sahib
  • Suella Braverman
  • Ben Westoby
  • Rob Harris
  • Lewis Ronald

Institutions

  • De La Warr Pavilion
  • Phillida Reid
  • The Guardian
  • Chariots

Locations

  • Bexhill
  • United Kingdom
  • Mile End
  • Shoreditch
  • London

Sources