Taking it to the Streets

Category: Art, Exhibitions.

Manchester has always had a flair for not only encouraging art but encouraging art with a difference. Be it an unusual composition, a visual reminder of local history or something that provokes public interest, public art has long been creating curiosity and sensationalising the landscape across the city.

Take Thomas Heatherwick’s infamous B of the Bang for example, although it was heavily criticised for its structural flaws and has since been deconstructed, it did bring vibrancy and interest to an area on the periphery of the city. It grabbed attention from all angles, from the dismissive media coverage, cynical critics, and from the public, some of who enjoyed the view whilst travelling in by train, others feared skewering by its precarious, ‘technically imperfect’ design.

And this is exactly what Public Art does, it creates conversation, sparks debate and generates regional and national interest into hidden or overlooked pasts, a powerful tool that can put anyplace on the map and embody their spirit.

Banksy? More recently, deep in the heart of the Northern Quarter, workmen revealed a hidden piece that appears to be by the infamous, internationally known British street artist, Banksy. Thought to have been created between 2001 and 2002, the discovery caused a ripple of media coverage and sparked a renewed interest in the importance of public art. Debates, questions, and comments surrounding the derivation of the Banksy were coming out of the woodwork with vigour, was it genuine? Is it art? Do we preserve it? Whether genuine, a fake or done in homage to the street artist, these questions don’t negate the fact that it has created conversation.

Encouraged by the excitement of it all, I deviated from my usual walk home to see it, delighted to discover that the workmen had ceased work in light of their discovery, they had also temporarily framed it. A sense of pride and admiration seemed to emanate from this action. The city council were quick to determine their excitement of the unearthing and the discovery of its provenance.

Excitement emanated across the region and visitors were seen to be captivated by this previously ignored and unloved piece of wall (the electricity substation on which the stencil was found had been covered in grass since 2002). A flash from the camera and the northern quarter had once again captured the interest of the public, other pieces of art long forgotten were unveiled and I myself delved deeper into the district to discover some more original and inspiring pieces.

New Broom by George Wylie Up until recently there was Moolin Rouge, the rear-end of a can-canning cow that was Tracey Cartledge’s contribution to 2004’s Cowparade. It was recently moved, but still in place are a large dustpan and brush on Thomas Street (George Wylie’s 1999 sculpture New Broom is the artist’s response to the redevelopment of the once-overlooked Northern Quarter), a car park wall adorned with Clay Pigeons on Tib Street (opposite the Banksy) and multiple invasions of the Space Invader all over the area.

Sketch City

These pieces as well as an abundance of intricate graffiti art by Sketch City, a collective encouraged by the council to treat the streets as their canvas, encourage the public to meander and wander streets that usually go unnoticed.

It hasn’t however, gone unnoticed by Manchester’s arts, culture and heritage organisations looking to embrace the public realm and attract new audiences. Their growing acknowledgement and awareness of the importance of public art delivering distinctive and memorable places is evident in Manchester walks, tours and debates being conveyed by various initiatives and generating international interest.

Mario Space Invader The award-winning Manchester International Festival understands the importance of making art public, commissioning a wide range of visual art, installations and performances that truly respond to environmental issues, cultural debate and sustainability.

The festival is intent on grasping audiences, with works such as Flailing Trees by Gustav Metzger, now part of the Whitworth Art Gallery’s permanent collection and Jeremy Deller’s nostalgic, carnivalesque Procession that use the city’s public spaces as their canvas. It would also be impossible not to mention The Lowry’s unforgettable Spencer Tunick commission which encouraged Everyday People to take to the streets of Manchester and Salford and strip for the day!

Everyday People, by Spencer Tunick The introduction of public art to an urban landscape creates a vista of regeneration, and community engagement, and a project due to highlight these contexts is set to be installed in October 2010. Unlocking Salford Quays will take the form of a permanent heritage trail revealing the Quays' historical connections and explore the experiences of people who once lived and worked there. The public artists chosen were carefully selected in consultation with Salford’s communities in order to really get to the heart of its heritage. Collectively, these commissions will not only enhance the Quays as an inspiring public space, but reveal its forgotten heritage and honour local communities.

Wolfgang and Heron's Tree of Remembrance

Navigating the city there are many pieces of public art permeating through hidden crevices and concealed doorways, and some are even hidden in plain sight. The Tree of Remembrance in Piccadilly Gardens has inextricably invaded the space, yet it blurs into the surrounding environment, it is only on inspection that you see its stark reminder of fallen heroes.

A short step towards the fringe of the city there has been another invasion, but Kan Yasuda’s 1996 Ishinki Touchstone, a smooth pebble outside of Bridgewater Hall, looks featherlike on the surface and is placed as if it has always been part of its surrounding landscape. Whether you chose to visit the many creative interventions in the city or meander aimlessly, there are plenty of ways to experience public art.

Manchester Day, credit B Hunter Creating a sense of place bound up in history and identity and communicating neighborhoods’ values and ambitions is evidently something the city actively engages with. There are copious projects in the pipeline to elevate the city’s eager engagement with public art and temporary installations. Summer in Manchester kicked off with the inaugural Manchester Day Parade, (inspired in part surely by Deller’s Procession) which saw 75,000 people turn out to celebrate all things Manchester, Salford hosts the huge outdoor Cecil Beaton photographic installation at the Imperial War Museum and if your taste buds are tickled more by all things digital, October will see the arrival of the Abandon Normal Devices festival, showcasing artists and filmmakers questioning social, physical and technological ideas about everyday life.

Whether the work is well-received, innovative or regressive it is clear that the city’s arts, cultural and heritage organisations recognise the effectiveness of engaging the wider community and generating civic pride on a regional, national and international scale.

Next time you walk around Manchester, look up, look around and beyond, it is the only way to truly appreciate this great City.

Article by Tori Moore, a Manchester-based artist and Go See This contributor. All photos by Tori Moore, except Spencer Tunick Installation, by Heidy Elainne courtesy of The Lowry and Manchester Day Parade by B Hunter.

Learn more...

Since we published this article, Manchester Art Gallery have introduced a new scheme to tell people more about the city's public art via their phones - take a look at our news article to find out more; http://www.goseethis.com/news/manchester-art-gallery-helps-visitors-decode-public-art.aspx

Manchester Art Gallery's guide to public art and war memorials in the city.