TO BE HUMAN | Manchester Art Gallery | 9 January - 26 June
Much like Portraits at The Whitworth, this exhibition presents a revealing glimpse into the human psyche through portraiture. Portraying and provoking emotions from love to loneliness to desire, prominent 20th artists like Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud explore what it is To Be Human.
Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, M2 3JL (10am-5pm, until 9pm Thurs; free).
VISIONS OF THE FRONT | The Whitworth | 12 March - 20 November
This year marks the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, one of WW1’s bloodiest battles, which saw the allies attempt to break through German lines on the western front after two years of trench warfare: Britain alone suffered over 57,000 casualties. Esteemed artists like Paul Nash and Henry Lamb depict their experiences on the front line in this confronting exhibition, ahead of the Halle Orchestra’s commemorative concert in July.
The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M15 6ER (10am-5pm, until 9pm Thurs; free).
Advance Dressing Station on the StrumaTHROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE | Central Library | 4-28 May
British micro-artist Willard Wigan MBE creates artworks so small they have to be viewed through a microscope, leading them to be described as ‘the eighth wonder of the world’ and an entry in the Guinness World Book of Records. Owners of his work include HRH Prince Charles and Sir Elton John, while exhibitions sell out globally. Don’t miss this rare chance to see his work in Manchester.
Central Library, St Peter's Square, M2 5PD (various times; tickets from £3 at librarylive.co.uk).
GORDON CHEUNG | Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art | 8 April - 19 June
CFCCA continues its 30th anniversary celebrates with Gordon Cheung, who returns with an examination of the relationship between conquest and civilisation following his 2008 exhibition Death by a Thousand Cuts. Using glitched propaganda posters, Cheung explores China’s emergence as a 21st century superpower and consequent western anxieties.
Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art, Market buildings, Thomas Street, M4 1EU ((10am-5pm; free).
Gordon CheungENDURING EYE: THE ANTARCTIC LEGACY OF SHACKLETON AND HURLEY | Central Library | 9 April - 11 June
When Ernest Shackleton embarked on his third expedition to Antarctica in a bid to cross the hostile continent via the South Pole, little did he know it would become one of the greatest survival stories in history. His ship became trapped in ice and ultimately sank, forcing the team to live on floating ice before making the perilous journey to seek help in three small boats. Amazingly, all six men made it. Here, the Royal Geographical Society present newly digitised images, revealing previously unseen details of the crew’s epic struggle for survival.
Central Library, St Peter's Square, M2 5PD (Mon-Thurs 9am-8pm, Fri-Sat 9am-5pm; free).
TOO MUCH | The Penthouse | 29 April - 8 May
Anxiety is now one of the biggest epidemics of the 21st century, with one in four likely to experience a mental health problem in their lifetime. Artist Rosanne Robertson explores the condition through assemblage, sculpture, performance, drawing and sound in works both thought-provoking and shocking.
The Penthouse, Hilton House, 26-28 Hilton Street, M1 1EH (various times; free).
Appendage and Bond - Debbie SharpIMITATION OF LIFE: MELODRAMA AND RACE IN THE 21ST CENTURY | HOME | 30 April - 3 July
Inspired by the 1959 film, Imitation of Life looks at racial politics in a time of 21st century turbulence: exacerbated by an ever-evolving digital world. Along with accompanying book Fear Eats the Soul, the exhibition explores the genre over fifteen years in the US and Europe, through ‘melodramatic’ artists such as Kevin Beasley and Martine Syms.
HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, M15 4FN (Tues-Sat 12-8pm, Sun 12-6pm; free).
FASHION & FREEDOM | Manchester Art Gallery | 13 May - 27 November
Vivienne Westwood, Roksanda Ilincic and other contemporary designers create new pieces inspired by the First World War and its impact on the role of women and female fashions in this ambitious multi-faceted exhibition. More info here.
Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, M2 3JL (10am-5pm, until 9pm Thurs; free).
Fashion & FreedomFASHION ON THE RATION | IWM North | 27 May 2016 - 1 May 2017
IWM North also explore wartime trends, in the context of how they adapted and even flourished under the strict rules of rationing in 1940s Britain: from 'onesies' to wear in the air raid shelter to jewellery created from aeroplane parts, functional fashion to military attire.
Imperial War North, Trafford Wharf Road, Stretford, M17 1TZ (10am-5pm daily; tickets from £3 at iwm.org.uk).
BIOLOGICAL ATELIER | Craft and Design Centre | 9 June - 28 August
The year is 2082. Materials are not made, but grown; not fashioned from fabrics, but from cells. Cosmetic surgery has been replaced by tissue-engineered skin, embellished with precious stones and our bodies are capable of growing seasonal jewellery. Science fiction - or a glimpse into future couture? Designer-researcher Amy Congdon investigates.
Craft and Design Centre, 17 Oak Street, M4 5JD (10am-5.50pm Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun; free).
Biological Atelier
