Culture Guides
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Seasonal Guides
Whether you welcome the changing seasons with open arms, or you’re still holding onto those memories of fun, sea and sunburn, autumn has arrived and with it comes a wave of exhibition openings all around Manchester and the North.
The British Pop Archive exhibition at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library is a celebration of UK’s pop culture since the post-war period until now, with a particular focus on the unique contribution of Manchester and its position on the national cultural stage.
Some artists’ names are always sure to draw a crowd – Joseph Mallord William Turner is one of these artists. Dark Waters at Tate Liverpool gives us a chance not only to admire the master painter’s ground-breaking seascapes, but also to feel their intensity paired with the immersive sound environment created by artist Lamin Fofana. Expect a powerful, emotional and aesthetic experience.
Also looking at the past with an ultra-modern twist is David Arsham and his new display Relics in the Landscape, taking place in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. His antiquity-inspired sculptures emphasise the passage of time and the resulting decay on a (very) large scale.
Castlefield Gallery’s new display from the young artists Matthew Bamber and Ivy Kalungi, delves into the complexity of our current times, spotlighting themes of cultural identity, wealth and media.
Dandy Style at Manchester Art Gallery is the inaugural show for the new Fashion Gallery, specially designed for the display of costumes and textiles. The exhibition explores men’s style through the ages, from the 18th century to the present day, with more fine embroidery than you might initially expect!
The Tetley in Leeds is presenting Retrospect, Reality, Reform, an exhibition from the artists and curators behind ROOT-ed Zine, who have gathered four early career artists of colour based in the North to examine the titular concepts. ROOT-ed Zine work to provide a platform for marginalised voices through a regular zine, workshops and informal events.
Don’t forget Gathering Downstream which is still on display at National Trust’s Quarry Bank – artist Jen Southern took inspiration from the flow of water, particularly the local River Bollin to create five videos for the site-specific installation.
Here are our picks
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1. British Pop Archive at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library
Granada Television, Offices, 1960, photograph by H. Milligan, Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives British Pop Archive at John Rylands Research Institute and Library, City Centre, Until 15 January 2023, free entry - Visit now
Come along to experience the energy and nostalgia of The British Pop Archive – an exhibition that gathers records, artefacts and memorabilia of UK popular culture from tahe post-war period to the present day.
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2. JMW Turner with Lamin Fofana: Dark Waters at Tate Liverpool
Joseph Mallord William Turner, Stormy Sea with Dolphins, c.1835-40, Tate. JMW Turner with Lamin Fofana: Dark Waters installation view. Photo: Tate (Sam Day) JMW Turner with Lamin Fofana: Dark Waters at Tate Liverpool, Waterfront, Until 4 June 2023, from £5.00 - Book now
An immersive soundscape enveloping Turner’s masterpieces is sure to be an unforgettable experience, so don’t miss it!
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3. Daniel Arsham: Relics in the Landscape at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Daniel Arsham, Unearthed Bronze Eroded Melpomene, 2021. Courtesy Perrotin Gallery and Arsham Studio. Photo © James Law Daniel Arsham: Relics in the Landscape at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, Until 30 September 2023, free entry - Visit now
Daniel Arsham’s “future relics” look perfectly at home in YSP’s green grounds, the artist’s first museum display in the UK.
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4. Matthew Bamber and Ivy Kalungi at Castlefield Gallery
Ivy Kalungi, The Hair Shop, 2022. Image © Jules Lister Matthew Bamber and Ivy Kalungi at Castlefield Gallery, Castlefield, Until 16 October 2022, free entry - Visit now
In the first Castlefield Gallery’s series of two-artist exhibitions, Bamber and Kalungi explore themes of memory, trauma, wealth, greed and many other nuanced elements of contemporary life.
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5. Dandy Style at Manchester Art Gallery
Photograph Ashley Verse Dandy Style at Manchester Art Gallery, Chinatown, 7 October 2022–1 May 2023, free entry - Find Out More
Manchester Art Gallery unveils its brand new, dedicated Fashion Gallery with a show exploring men’s style through the ages.
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6. ROOT-ed Zine: Retrospect, Reality, Reform at The Tetley
ROOT-ed Zine, Issue 1 ROOT-ed Zine: Retrospect, Reality, Reform at The Tetley, 7 October 2022–22 January 2023, free entry - Find Out More
The Tetley welcomes ROOT-ed Zine and their show ‘Retrospect, Reality, Reform’ which amplifying the voices of Northern creatives of colour.
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7. Gathering Downstream at Quarry Bank
Jen Southern Gathering Downstream at Quarry Bank, Cheshire, Until 25 November 2022, free entry - Visit now
The former cotton mill is currently home to an exhibition by artist Jen Southern, exploring the site’s legacy of the industrial revolution and environmental change.
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8. Saturate
Carl Skull Saturate at Hop and Hazlewood, Tyldesley, Until 2 November 2022, free entry - Visit now
Saturate is an art and photography exhibition focusing on colour, held in the fast-growing Greater Manchester town of Tyldesley.
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9. Jadé Fadojutimi: Can we see the colour green because we have a name for it? at The Hepworth Wakefield
Jadé Fadojutimi, Ob-sess(h)-ion, 2020. 180 x 170 cm, oil and oil stick on canvas. Image courtesy the artist and Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London © Jadé Fadojutimi, 2020. Photo: Mark Blower Jadé Fadojutimi at The Hepworth Wakefield, Wakefield, Until 19 March 2023, from £10 - Book now
The Hepworth Wakefield’s year of incredible exhibitions continues with a solo show of Jadé Fadojutimi’s breathtaking canvases that oscillate between abstract and figurative.
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10. Jill McKnight: Desire Lines at Leeds Art Gallery
Jules Lister, Jill McKnight Jill McKnight: Desire Lines at Leeds Art Gallery, Until 16 October 2022, free entry - Visit now
Jill McKnight has been busy diving deep into the Leeds Art Gallery’s collections and British Library Sound Archive to create this fascinating show inspired by Leeds and its residents, past and present.
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11. Janine Burrows: Table to Tide: A Yorkshire Conversation at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Janine Burrows, 'Dusk-Moore', 2022. Image © the artist, courtesy of Yorkshire Sculpture Park Janine Burrows: Table to Tide: A Yorkshire Conversation at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, Until 23 October 2022, free entry - Visit now
Enjoy the beauty of Yorkshire through Janine Burrows’ depictions of the local landscape and cosy domestic scenes. Look out for the painted Henry Moore sculpture too!
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12. Picture This at The Lowry
‘Because you cannot tame something so happily wild’ by Emily Hughes, copyright Emily Hughes, Flying Eye Books -
13. My Garden, My Sanctuary at FACT Liverpool
Sian Fan, Spirit Corp (2019) -
14. James Fox: Something in Common at Blackwell, the Arts & Crafts House
Copyright of the artist James Fox: Something in Common at Blackwell, The Arts and Crafts House, Cumbria, Until 9 October 2022, from £4.50 - Book now
James Fox draws on the philosophy of the Arts and Crafts Movement in his approach to nature, its beauty and the need for its protection while using traditional textile techniques to craft his artworks.
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15. Lungiswa Gqunta: Sleep in Witness at The Henry Moore Institute
Lungiswa Gqunta, 'Tending to the harvest of dreams', 2021, Barbed wire, fabric, steel, water, mpepho, sound., Photo: Diana Pfammatter. Courtesy the artist and WHATIFTHEWORLD Gallery Lungiswa Gqunta at The Henry Moore Institute at The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds, Leeds, Until 30 October 2022, free entry - Visit now
From petrol bombs to bed sheets, Gqunta’s multifaceted practice is subtle yet incredibly powerful – don’t miss her largest exhibition to date.
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16. Carolina Caycedo: Land of Friends at BALTIC Gateshead
Patron Mono, Carolina Caycedo, Land of Friends, Photo: Tom Nolan. © 2022, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art Carolina Caycedo at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle, Until 20 November 2022, free entry
Los Angeles-based artist Carolina Caycedo’s new show at the BALTIC aims to challenge colonial perspectives and expose environmental injustices and extractivism around the world.
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17. Rachel Goodyear: Stirrings at Salford Museum & Art Gallery
Rachel Goodyear Hole 2022 copyright the artist. 3 x stills from animation; full running time 13.16mins (looped) hand - drawn animations by Rachel Goodyear; Sound by Matt Wand. Rachel Goodyear: Stirrings at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Manchester, Until 26 February 2023, free entry - Visit now
Admire Rachel Goodyear’s skilful drawings peppered with symbolism and mythological references at her ‘homecoming’ home this summer, on display at Salford Museum & Art Gallery.
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18. Jaume Plensa: In small places, close to home at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Jaume Plensa Jaume Plensa: In small places, close to home at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, Until 30 October 2022, free entry - Visit now
The much-loved sculptor’s drawings are on display in the Weston Gallery and Chapel, revealing Plensa’s preoccupation with the human condition and community.
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19. Refractive Pool: Contemporary Painting in Liverpool at Walker Art Gallery
© Robin Clewley Refractive Pool: Contemporary Painting in Liverpool at Walker Art Gallery, City Centre, Until 8 January 2023, free entry - Visit now
Walker Art Gallery turns its focus towards the home town of Liverpool, with an exhibition of 21 local painters’ work.
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20. Gathering Downstream at Quarry Bank
Jen Southern Gathering Downstream at Quarry Bank, Cheshire, Until 25 November 2022, free entry - Visit now
The former cotton mill of Quarry Bank is currently home to an ‘Gathering Downstream’, an exhibition exploring the site’s legacy of the industrial revolution alongside environmental change and disruption.
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21. Bury Art Shop
Photo by Stephen Walton Bury Art Shop, Bury Art Museum, Moss Street, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9 0DR - Visit now
The perfect place to find gifts, stationery, cards, children’s books and, most importantly, museum souvenirs if you want to take home a little reminder of your visit and the gallery’s wonderful collections.
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22. Robert Indiana: Sculpture 1958-2018 at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
© Jonty Wilde, courtesy of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, artwork: © 2022 Morgan Art Foundation Ltd./ Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY/DACS, London Robert Indiana: Sculpture 1958-2018 at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, Until 8 January 2023, from £0.00 - Book now
The Pop artist’s signature colourful sculptures are now on display at YSP, against a backdrop of green hills and woodland.
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23. 2022 Banner Exhibition at People’s History Museum
People's History Museum 2022 Banner Exhibition at People’s History Museum (PHM), City Centre, Until 8 January 2023, free entry - Visit now
Filled with striking reminders and symbols of the fight for justice, the Banner Exhibition at People’s History Museum will take you on a journey through the history of rights and equality via its dazzling collection.
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24. Albert Potrony: EQUAL PLAY at BALTIC, Gateshead
Equal Play Environment . Alphabet of shapes for loose parts elements. Albert Potrony 2020 EQUAL PLAY at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle, Until 31 October 2022, free entry - Visit now
Artist and educator Albert Potrony sets out to explore non-gendered and non-prescriptive modes of childhood play in a major new exhibition at BALTIC.
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