Narratives review
Narratives, Venture Arts, 2022
Venture Arts, Narratives
May – October 2022
Artists: Omid Asadi, Jennie Franklin, Parham Ghalamdar, Jackie Haynes, Millie Loveday, Sarah Lee, Horace Lindezey, Deborah Makinde, Laura Nathan, Dominic Pillai, Alice Merida Richards, Leslie Thompson
Creative Producer/ Curator: Sarah Boulter, Venture Arts
Exhibitions & Events
Manchester Contemporary Art Fair, Julie Party 1, Julie Party 2, Manchester Jewish Museum, The Lowry, Tate Liverpool Explorers Event 2022
Julie Party Invitations, Narratives, Venture Arts, 2022
Overview
Narratives is the third cycle of Venture Arts’ pioneering Conversations Series, a programme of artistic projects and residencies established in 2016, aimed at creating new work in a shared exchange of art and ideas. This residency brought together a range of artists for reciprocal learning and to develop collaborative and creative exchanges. The series generated open conversations and new dialogues about the role of art in contemporary society.
This project is run with support from partners; Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre, Castlefield Gallery, Explorers Project, The Lowry and Manchester Jewish Museum.
One outcome of Narratives was a vibrant and multifaceted exhibition at the Lowry from Jan-March 2023. The diverse collection of artworks span drawing, film, performance, sound and installation reflecting the artists collectively explored personal histories, cultural heritage and shared connections.
The exhibition was a culmination of the residency at St Margaret’s Social Club in Whalley Range. The character of the club itself – the function room, changing rooms and surrounding football pitches –deeply influenced the work of the group. The works drew from a wide range of references, including TV specials, 1980s Moss Side, family heritage, comedy and reggae, supper clubs, and the ‘patron saints’ of the Narratives project: Sid James, Sparrow Martin, Julee Cruise and Julie London.
The Julie Party was a night of art designed by 12 artists to celebrate the end of our collaborative residency.
A night of installation, TV specials, big art, 80s Moss Side feelings, devotion to women called Julie and new reggae classics, featuring the premier of Horace Lindezey & Alice Merida Richards new single Falling at Deborah Makinde’s Beaver Bar. The original event took place at St Margarets Club and was later recreated at The Lowry.
Find out more at venturearts.org.
“I found the entire experience to be utterly transformative. We were making truly collaborative art in a shared space. We became a group that experienced as one - we shared obsessions and jokes and dreams. It felt possible to remove art from the institutions that guard it and bring it into daily life - in an honest and joyful way. Everything was on our terms.”