Miniature World at Castlefield Gallery

Polly Checkland Harding
Hand holding a tiny stethoscope
'If You're Happy and You Know it Clap Your Hands' by Claire Tindale.

Miniature World at Castlefield Gallery, Castlefield 18 November 2016 — 22 January 2017 Entrance is free

How to describe Castlefield Gallery‘s latest exhibition, Miniature World? On this occasion, it’s not a cliche to say that great things come in small packages; the concepts at work here far outstrip the actual scale of the art on show. Take, for instance, the series of diagrams theorist and artist Simon O’Sullivan will be presenting. Inspired by his book On the Production of Subjectivity: Five Diagrams of the Finite-Infinite Relation, these drawings ‘help map out the contours for a speculative and pragmatic production of subjectivity’, according to Castlefield’s exhibition blurb. So far, so obscure. This isn’t, however, a show to turn away from in resignation: despite some knotty concepts, Miniature World promises to evoke as much wonder as puzzlement.

Featuring film, sculpture, astronomical artefacts and miniature models, Miniature World looks at how things in miniature can help us to tackle big ideas about the world we live in. Artist Annie Carpenter is producing a 3D concept model to demonstrate the form of a black hole accretion disk (the structure of diffused material in orbit around a black hole, for the non-astronomers among you), while Hondartza Fraga will use domestic objects in drawing, video and photography to evoke extreme and distant environments, from the deep sea to outer space.

A number of the artists will be using models, including Matthew Houlding, who creates uncanny architectural forms that draw on science fiction – rather beautifully described by Castlefield as ‘like the ideal homes of an alternative past’. Perhaps the most poignant will be Claire Tindale’s miniature models reflecting on the care of elderly patients in hospital, and particularly those with dementia. Here, scale may come to reflect the way the world can telescope for those suffering from the disorder.

So, just as the ‘mini food’ fad is taking off online, there comes an exhibition requiring that bit more perceptiveness from its audience than those viral videos of teeny tiny pizzas.

Miniature World at Castlefield Gallery, Castlefield 18 November 2016 — 22 January 2017 Entrance is free

What's on at Castlefield Gallery

Where to go near Miniature World at Castlefield Gallery

Deansgate
Music venue
Rebellion

Live music and 4am club night venue Rebellion provides a rock heavy alternative with smatterings of bass, across from Deansgate Locks.

Castlefield
Restaurant
The Deansgate Tavern

The Deansgate is located in the heart of Manchester. A traditional pub with homemade food and real ales, this is truly one of the greatest watering holes in Manchester.

Deansgate
Bar or Pub
Cloud 23

Manchester’s Cloud 23, the cocktail bar siting proud on the 23rd floor of the Beetham Tower, boasts unparalleled views across the city.

Castlefield
Bar or Pub
Atlas Bar

Situated in the railway arches of Deansgate, Atlas is an elegant, quality bar specialising in nearly 600 gins from around the world.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
The Briton’s Protection

Standing on the corner of a junction opposite The Bridgewater Hall, The Briton’s Protection is Manchester’s oldest pub. It has occupied the same spot since 1795, going under the equally patriotic name The Ancient Britain.

Manchester
Restaurant
Indian Tiffin Room, Manchester

Indian Tiffin Room is a restaurant specialising in Indian street food, with branches in Cheadle and Manchester. This is the information for the Manchester venue.

The Life Centre North
City Centre
Event venue
The Life Centre North

The Life Centre, just off Deansgate in Manchester, is a place which offers yoga and Pilates classes for people of all abilities. 

What's on: Exhibitions

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in Manchester and the North

Affecting contemporary performances and fresh, relevant takes on enduring classics, we pick out shows that help us scrutinise the world we live in.

Teenage Dads
Music in Manchester and the North

Fresh concert seasons, forward-thinking festivals and a revolving door of amazing gigs. Things are looking bright as spring comes into view.