Foreigners at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre

Sara Jaspan, Exhibitions Editor
Courtesy of Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre

Foreigners at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre, Manchester 26 August — 18 November 2017 Entrance is free

While many arts organisations may prefer to err on the side of caution and neutrality when it comes to current affairs, Bury Art Museum’s latest exhibition, Foreigners, is deliberately intended as a bold statement on the issues of Brexit and rising British nationalism.

Described by the gallery as “a cultural action that defies fear with hope and keeps open the conversation with foreigners,” the show will only feature work by contemporary artists not from the UK, bringing an exciting selection of international art to Bury.

The wider intention behind Foreigners is to demonstrate that cultural institutions are still open to ideas and people from abroad, at a time when borders are closing and ‘foreigners’ are being treated as unwelcome. Such a position is perhaps no surprise, coming from a gallery that not only survived but thrived in response to the government spending cuts of the last few years by pioneering an innovative, financially successful model of international touring.

Bury is one of the towns which voted for Brexit and the gallery’s director, Tony Trehy, who curated the exhibition, is keen not to shy away from this fact. As Trehy explains, Foreigners has been formed against a wider context of questions relating to the role and purpose of museums and galleries; should they simply be responding to our time, or play an active role in helping to shape it?

Where to go near Foreigners at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre

Bury
Gallery
Bury Art Shop

Bury Art Shop is a local gem filled with original artworks, crafts and homewares, championing the work of local artists and makers at the heart of Bury’s growing Culture Quarter.

bury market
Manchester
Event venue
Bury Market

Over the past thirty years, retail giants have developed in the vicinity, yet Bury Market remains the undisputed champion of the North, attracting thousands of visitors every week.

Manchester
Event venue
Burrs Country Park

Burrs Country Park lies on the River Irwell covering an area of 36 hectares of scenic countryside, one mile northwest of Bury town centre.

Manchester
Restaurant
Listo Burrito

Listo Burrito on Manchester’s Oxford Street tempts busy diners with fresh ingredients and a modestly priced menu.

Event venue
Heywood Civic Centre

Heywood’s premier venue for entertainment, concerts, theatrical shows and business meetings.

Bar or Pub
The Eagle and Child

The Eagle and Child in Ramsbottom does what good pubs do best, and more.

Bury
Restaurant
Colleen’s Ramsbottom

Colleen’s is a casual dining neighbourhood restaurant in the heart of Ramsbottom serving seasonal dishes.

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
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

Music in Manchester and the North

From post punk legends to the leading lights of modern shoegaze, read about the most exciting artists playing in Manchester and the North this autumn.