Salford is brought to life in a living room
Worktown, Exhibition at The Lowry, Salford Quays Until Sunday 19 November 2006
Gallery visitors will feel at home in the cosy surroundings of the innovative Worktown exhibition at The Lowry. A living room has been specially created to display photographs of daily life in Salford taken by the 22 participants of The Lowrys mass observation project. The results of the project, which has lasted for over 7 months, are exhibited on everyday items. Visitors can find cushions covered with dogs, graffiti-adorned beanbags and a uniquely produced wallpaper pattern featuring Salford landmarks, photographed by the participants.
Some of the photographs have been transferred onto photo books to sit on a coffee table and wall plates have been decorated with a food theme. That is, as well as the more traditional method of framing portraits to hang on the gallery walls! A projection booth also shows a film of interviews with the Worktown photographers describing their experience of the project.
The contributors were gathered from community groups and the general public to create this powerful exhibition which reflects the City of Salford in 2006. Inspired by a Mass Observation study of Bolton in the 1930s entitled Worktown, The Lowrys version of the project captures Salford through the eyes of those living and working in the city. Given the brief Why is it important to record daily life? the committed participants produced 7,000 photographs over 7 months, a selection of which will be housed permanently in the Salford Local History Library after the exhibition. In addition to educational field trips, access to photography facilities and professional lectures, they were supported with training from professional local photographers, Paula Keenan and Jon Purcell.
Posted on Friday, 20 October 2006 under Press Galleries Press