EuroFestival: Dialogues at the Bluecoat

Maja Lorkowska, Exhibitions Editor
Ellie and Alvetina for 'Dialogues' at the Bluecoat, 2023

Dialogues - EuroFestival: exhibition at the Bluecoat at Bluecoat, City Centre 1 — 14 May 2023 Entrance is free — Book now

As Liverpool enjoys the colourful chaos of Eurovision, the EuroFestival brings 24 brand new commissions to the city, transforming its corners and bringing us closer to Ukrainian culture. As part of the festival, the Bluecoat is home to Dialogues, a collaborative exhibition from artists Alevtina Kakhidze and Ellie Hoskins.

Despite the distance, the two artists share a visual language and sense of humour, even, or perhaps in particular, in the face of adversity and crisis.

Ukranian artist Alevtina Kakhidze’s recent work deals with the war against Ukraine and using drawing as a tool for assessing the impact of the conflict on her family and neighbours. Her intimate drawings charting responses to the terrors of war happening on the doorstep really capture the raw emotion of the artist. In just a few lines and two colours, Kakhidze can communicate her reactions to an unimaginable situation.

Alvetina Kakhidze at the Bluecoat
Alevtina Kakhidze at the Bluecoat

 

Liverpool-based Ellie Hoskins’ practice exposes the internal struggles we all face, revealing some of the most delicate and vulnerable parts of the human condition, oozing with extreme honesty yet sprinkled with humour. Her wryly critical commentary often focuses inward, with incredibly relatable observations and critique of ourselves and the our immediate surroundings.

Ellie Hoskins at the Bluecoat

 

Both artists utilise very direct forms of communication, such as drawings, performances, animations, sound and perhaps most importantly, text. Words are the foundation for all of the work and its directness, transcending countries and circumstances, to expose some of the most essential, stripped back aspects of being human. Dialogues presents brand new work created directly in the galleries as well as on the outside of the building on Blundell Lane.

Senior curator at the Bluecoat Adam Lewis-Smythe described the EuroFestival celebrations as fitting for a city that “does solidarity really well” and this perfectly summarises the spirit of the EuroFestival celebrations – a show of solidarity that offers opportunities to enrich our everyday lives by coming face to face with new worlds and contexts.

Dialogues - EuroFestival: exhibition at the Bluecoat at Bluecoat, City Centre 1 — 14 May 2023

Book Now

What's on: Exhibitions

Until
ExhibitionsManchester
Nothing About Us Without Us at PHM

‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ at PHM explores the history of disabled people’s activism and their ongoing fight for inclusion with a wonderful collection of exhibits brought together for the first time, 

free entry
Until
ExhibitionsNorth East
Chris Killip, retrospective at Baltic

This spring, Baltic welcomes a major retrospective of the work of Chris Killip, one of Britain’s most influential and prolific post-war documentary photographers whose tender gaze captured the lives of communities in the North East of England.

free entry
Until
ExhibitionsManchester
(Un)Defining Queer at The Whitworth

Through a fantastic collection of classical and contemporary artists’ work, ‘(Un)Defining Queer’ examines the use of language, histories and narratives to explore what ‘queer’ really means today. free entry

Culture Guides

Exhibitions

There's no rest for the art lover - this month brings outdoor sculpture, musings on water, political drawings and Liverpool Biennial 2023!

Music

We look towards a summer filled with quality festivals, from cultural behemoths to grassroots gems.

Winnie the Pooh at Manchester Opera House
Families

The sun has finally got his hat on! Enjoy our top picks of family-friendly events and activities, both indoors and outdoors.

Classical Music

Summer's classical music calendar is filling up nicely! Read our top picks of concerts happening in Manchester and the North.

Gerry Potter (credit Lee Baxter)
Literature

Books are big this summer, with festival readings, poetry slams, creative writing activities and famous faces all putting in an appearance.

Food and Drink

All signs point toward June being a scorcher of a month, so let’s take a look at all things summery food and drink.

Tours and Activities

From literary activities to brilliant independent shops, keep your minds and homes filled with the good stuff this month.

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre

Check out our updated guide for lively theatre festivals, rip-roaring rooftop circus and dreamy outdoor shows.