From murals to mosaics, Akse to Hammo, citywide installation will celebrate local talent
AFTER causing a buzz with their colourful critters in 2018, the team behind Bee in the City are back with a new Manchester art trail this autumn.
Transforming the city into an outdoor gallery from 26th October to 5th December, 50 Windows of Creativity will see a huge array of spectacular mosaics, installations, fine art, photography, craft, murals and more pop up in windows, venues, businesses and spaces.
Supported by Manchester City Council and event partners Auto Trader and Dandara Living, the trail will raise money for the artists involved and The Lord Mayor of Manchester Charity Appeal Trust - We Love MCR Charity.
Visitors will be able to explore via the 50 Windows of Creativity app, available to download from 26th October, and an interactive trail map.
Celebrating Manchester’s rich and varied culture, artworks include; Ric Facchin’s Manchester Builds, which immortalise some of the city’s best buildings in miniature (ChriSalon); a mosaic by Mary Goodwin featuring a tryptic of historical Mancunians (Kimpton Clocktower Hotel), Sarah Connell’s Manchester cityscapes of the Etihad Stadium and Old Trafford (Wesley Barrell) and Sneaky Raccoon’s work in Hobs Repro - inspired by the plants and flowers that she photographed while on walks around her neighbourhood during lockdown.
Artist and maker Lazerian (Liam Hopkins) presents Curiosity Killed the Cat, a playful conceptual art piece that will morph and change throughout the duration of the project, while Tim Denton’s giant drawing pantograph at Dandara Living explores connection and community. Guy McKinley also celebrates humanity in a beautiful colourful stained glass window at No. 1 Canal Street.
Over at RNCM, Sumit Sarkar presents a series of sculptures created with a mix of cutting-edge digital technology and analogue techniques - taking inspiration from religious iconography, science fiction and graffiti - while other large-scale visual artworks include a mural of Ste Wing by acclaimed photorealistic street artist Akse on Little Lever Street and a piece from award-winning photographer Benji Reid on the facade of the National Football Museum.
Atelier Bebop will take over Selfridges Exchange Square with eye-catching graphic work Cosmos, inspired by the sunset of summer and the autumn season, and Caroline Dowsett’s mural at Hatch wraps around the whole inside of its container to create an immersive experience. Elsewhere, Hammo (main image, photographed by David Oates) has created a sequence of playful little adventurers at Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, Castlefield.
Manchester’s major music influence, meanwhile, can be seen in the Moovin’ Festival Visual Art Collective’s installation at KSMCR - which captures some of the festival’s madness and magic - whilst one of the many pieces at RNCM includes a photography show from the Manchester Hip Hop Archive.
Elsewhere, in the Northern Quarter, artist Lei-Mai LeMaow’s mural at Yard and Coop takes inspiration from old rave flyers and touches on the current precarious situation regarding the music sector.
Other works challenge the viewer to think too; at the Atrium, Library Walk, the Seashell Trust - a national charity supporting children and young adults with complex learning disabilities and communication - has worked with artist Lauren Mullarkey to develop a mixed media sculpture that invites the viewer to consider what safety means and feels like to a blind person. And Tara Collette’s No One Is Illegal banner installation at HOME is a direct provocation against the treatment of non-white and non-western people in our society.
All pieces on display will be available to buy directly from the artist or maker. The project culminates with an auction on 10th December 2020 streamed live from the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, which will see a selection of artworks auctioned; proceeds are to be shared between their creators and The Lord Mayor of Manchester Charity Appeal Trust - We Love MCR Charity, which supports disadvantaged communities and individuals to be the best they can be.
50 Windows of Creativity will take place citywide from 26th October to 5th December - find out more and download the trail map on the website.
50 Windows of Creativity - the full list of artists
Akse, Amy Coney, Apapat, Jai-in Glynn, Atelier Bebop, Benji Reid, Caroline Coates, Caroline Daly, Caroline Dowsett, Charlotte Smithson, CJTaylord Art, Creative Design & Manufacture UK, Danielle Rhoda, Daren Newman, Dave Draws, DREPH, George Gibson & Izzy Kroese, Guy McKinley, Hammo, Helen Middleton Studio, Ibukun Baldwin, Instruct Studio, Jack McConnell, Jodie Silverman, Jonnybentley360, Justin Eagleton, Kaper, Kelly Stanford, Kim Hubball, KREK, Laura-Kate Chapman, Lazerian, LeiMai LeMaow, Lizzie Rose Chapman, Lydia Meiying, Manchester Craft and Design Centre, Manchester Cultural Education Partnership with Stephen M Campbell, Manchester Digital, Music Archive, Manchester Pride, Mancsy, Mark Kennedy, Mary Goodwin, Matt Sewell, May Wild Studio, Meha, MHHA Manchester Hip Hop Archive, Moovin' Festival Visual Art Collective, Neil Lorenzo, Fernandes Makes, Peter Naish, Phil Constable, Rachel Ho Ceramics, Ric Facchin, Richard Dean, Richard Shields, RP Roberts, Sarah Connell, Sasha Ray Art, Seashell Trust & Lauren Mullarkey, Sneaky Raccoon, Sonia Sharma, Sumit Sakar aka KrikSix, TANKPETROL, Tara Collette, The Playhouse Competition Team, Thomas Wolski, Tim Denton, Tony Walsh and Trevor Johnson, Venture Arts Presents featuring Jennie Franklin, Ahmen Mohammed, Barry Anthony Finan, Verdure Floral Design.
