Mark Making at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre

Sara Jaspan, Exhibitions Editor
Mark Making at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre

Mark Making at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre, Manchester 8 February — 2 May 2020 Entrance is free — Visit now

Perhaps since the first mysterious cave paintings made by prehistoric humans millennia ago, the simple act of mark making has formed the cornerstone of visual art. Yet, how often is it explored as a subject in its own right? From loose swathes of paint on canvas to delicately incised engravings, childish scribbles to handwritten messages, digital paint tools to painfully etched tattoos, the range of possible examples to draw from and study is vast. Which makes the imaginatively conceived, tightly curated selection of works presented within Mark Making at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre all the more satisfying.

The exhibition features numerous artefacts from around the world held within the museum’s Ethnography and Archaeological collections – the oldest in its care since first opening in 1907. Among these include richly designed barkcloths, basketwork and scrimshaw, Burmese scriptures and decorated coconuts. At the other end of the spectrum, Mark Making also contains several works by contemporary artists, such as by David Hockey, Robert Grenier, and Ma Qiusha whose impressive monochrome ‘Fog Series’ uses a delicate lace surface pattern to explore the conflict of emotions experienced by many of her generation growing up in China.

Amidst the noise and complexity of many exhibitions today, such focused attention on one of the most primary and universal building blocks of visual art is likely to offer a refreshing contrast. To encounter such a diverse range of works and objects gathered under one theme should open up fascinating new perspectives on humanity’s innate drive to leave its mark.

Mark Making at Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre, Manchester 8 February — 2 May 2020 Entrance is free Visit now

Accessibility

  • Dementia-friendly
  • Parent and Baby

Where to go near Mark Making 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

To The Lakes! at Wordsworth Grasmere
Until
ExhibitionsCumbria
To The Lakes! at Wordsworth Grasmere

Find out how the first tourists to the Lake District (a time before mobile phones, specialist clothing and TripAdvisor reviews) experienced the area, in this fascinating new exhibition.

from £6.00
Culture in South Lakes
Until
ExhibitionsCumbria
Culture in South Lakes

Not only one of Britain’s most picturesque national parks, the Lake District is also brimming with culture. Here’s what’s on over the next few months.

free entry
Until
ExhibitionsManchester
Traces of Displacement

See ‘Traces of Displacement’, the Whitworth’s major new exhibition which uses the gallery’s collection to explore the issue of forced displacement.

free entry

Culture Guides

Music in Manchester and the North

Spotlighting global artists who all, in one way or another, break the mould, we preview the best gigs happening this side of Christmas and beyond.