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| 'Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View' (1991) Cornelia Parker - Picture: David Levene |
Dear Reader,
I hope this postcard finds you well. I finally visited the new and improved Whitworth art gallery which boasts a multitude of both thought provoking and enjoyable pieces.
I hope this postcard finds you well. I finally visited the new and improved Whitworth art gallery which boasts a multitude of both thought provoking and enjoyable pieces.
First opening it's doors in 1889 Whitworth has tirelessly adapted and reinvented itself over the past 126 years. Founded in name and memory of Cheshire born industrialist Sir Joseph Whitworth, it was created with a single aim: "the perpetual gratification of the people of Manchester". It was the galleries intention to open it's doors to "people of all social classes" yet people would be forgiven to be intimidated by the Edwardian institutional building.
Welcoming a fifteen million pound budget architects MUMA have doubled it's exhibition space and with the aid of wall length windows, broken down the barrier between park and gallery. An aim of the two year refurbishment was to encourage locals who may not feel it their place to visit, to find a breathe of fresh air. The lack of brick walls visibly breaking down the concrete barriers which may have held people back previously. Gallery director Maria Balshaw has commented that the new build is about "having open arms and saying: 'This place belongs to you'".
Welcoming a fifteen million pound budget architects MUMA have doubled it's exhibition space and with the aid of wall length windows, broken down the barrier between park and gallery. An aim of the two year refurbishment was to encourage locals who may not feel it their place to visit, to find a breathe of fresh air. The lack of brick walls visibly breaking down the concrete barriers which may have held people back previously. Gallery director Maria Balshaw has commented that the new build is about "having open arms and saying: 'This place belongs to you'".
Holding a collection of both historical and modern art you may think that Moss Side is a peculiar place to locate such a gallery however, Balshaw thinks otherwise. As well as being the university's art gallery it's location reiterates that it belongs to the Mancunian people, regardless of class or education. You can read an interview with Director Maria Balshaw here.
Now onto what's inside. Art by definition is the production of work to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power, something which Whitworth certainly contains. At the moment Whitworth has ten exhibitions running:
Cornelia Parker: Until 31 May
Dematerialising matter.
Cai Guo-Qiang: Until 21 June
'Unmanned Nature' (2008) - the first piece of artwork to be shown in the new landscape gallery.
Thomas Schutte: Until 19 July
139 etchings ranging from everyday objects to the world events of 2001 - including the attack on the Twin Towers.
Sarah Lucas: Until 19 July
Funny, challenging and striking.
New Acquisitions: Until 16 August
Presented in memory of Constantine Karpidas - 90 contemporary works of art.
Portraits: Until 22 November
Projection of the artists, collectors and curators who made Whitworth.
The 1960's: Until 10 January 2016Dematerialising matter.
Cai Guo-Qiang: Until 21 June
'Unmanned Nature' (2008) - the first piece of artwork to be shown in the new landscape gallery.
Thomas Schutte: Until 19 July
139 etchings ranging from everyday objects to the world events of 2001 - including the attack on the Twin Towers.
Sarah Lucas: Until 19 July
Funny, challenging and striking.
New Acquisitions: Until 16 August
Presented in memory of Constantine Karpidas - 90 contemporary works of art.
Portraits: Until 22 November
Projection of the artists, collectors and curators who made Whitworth.
The transformation decade.
Johnnie Shand Kydd: Until 21 February 2016
Shand Kydd's trips to the Greek Island of Hydra, capturing members of the international art world.
Textiles: Until 6 March 2016
Exploration of the colour green.
Watercolours: Until 31 May 2016
Exploration of the colour green.
Watercolours: Until 31 May 2016
Over 200 of Whitworth's internationally renowned collection of British watercolours.
Textiles: Until 6 March 2016
Exploration of the colour green.
Exploration of the colour green.
My particular favourites are Cornelia Parker's 'Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View', Parker's 'War Room' and Mary Kelly's 'Multi-Story House'.
Made from acrylic and immediately casting shadow on the rest of the portraits, Kelly creates both a humorous yet brutually honest portrait of intergenerational feminism.
Parker somehow convinced British army explosive experts to blow up her shed to create an awe strickening piece, as impressive as the fragmented pieces of splittered wood frozen in the air it was the shadows that were cast by the single bald light bulb which impressed. 'War Room' was different as it takes a few moments to realise what is exactly dominating the room. Using the excess material which is used to make the Royal British Legion's poppies that we bought in the run up to remembrance - a staggering 45 million of them - Park mammoths the room.
Decorative it may seem, Parker displays innocently the conflicted relationship we share with commemoration, pride and horror that surround our history's warfare. What struck me the most was the waste created, reminiscient of the waste generated from years of war itself: a poignant comment.
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| 'War Room' Cornelia Parker |
There's a cafe that overlooks Whitworth park which will bloom in Spring and admission is free, what else could you ask for?
If you've been I'd love to hear what you thought, did you have any favourites?
To read more information on the gallery and it's exhibitions, click here.
To read more information on the gallery and it's exhibitions, click here.
Elise
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