Arts Council England
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It's not grim, it's glam up North
The North is rich - culturally rich. And so, to kick off their 40th anniversary year, Arts Council supported Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool are celebrating in style with a new exhibition that showcases the North’s influence on fashion and visual culture.
North: Identity, Photography, Fashion, which opened on Friday, is co-curated by Lou Stoppard and Adam Murray and explores what makes the North of England such a creative, diverse and inspiring place to live for artists, and all people. Those contributing include Turner-prize winners Mark Leckey and Jeremy Deller alongside Yorkshire-born contemporary fashion designers Alasdair McLennan and David Sims.
Running until 19 March, the exhibition takes us on a journey from the Mass Observation movement in the 1930s up to the present day. It explores the North through documentary photography, fashion editorials, video footage, garments (including, of course, a ‘parka’ coat) and even some iconic adidas trainers, a staple of Northern style.
Open Eye officially opened in 1977 as one of the UK’s first leading galleries in photography and visual culture. Arts Council England has funded the gallery’s project-based activities since its opening, and has provided core funding since the 2000s. In addition, the gallery received capital investment in 2011 for its new building on the city’s waterfront.
Simon Mellor, the Arts Council’s Deputy Chief Executive, who was in Liverpool to speak at the opening event not only praised the exhibition - stating that it deserved to be seen by “many, many people” - but also the wider visual arts scene in Liverpool.
Click here for full press release
