to our tireless, enthusiastic, intelligent, sometimes overworked, always hard-working members of staff without whose contribution urbis wouldn’t have succeeded –
chief executive offices Elizabeth Usher Howard Raynor Tony Doherty Vaughan Allen
pa to ceo Carolyn Gamble Cleo Farman Faye Davenport Nicola Wilkinson
creative programmes Andy Brydon Carmel King Cheryl Gill Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon Daniel Staincliffe Janine McGinnies Kate Farrell Louise Hargreaves Nick Bowden Paul Luckraft Pollyanna Clayton-Stamm Sarah Austin Sarah Turner Scott Burnham Vanessa Howarth
creative programmes interns Anna Barnett Caroline Bamsey Chloe Hughs Claire Raffo Cordelia Mckay Ellie Marechal Emily Tan Helen Bradbury Isobel McGowan Jenny Core Jenny Leonard Lisa Mouncey Natasha Cole Stephanie Murfin
domestic services Christian Mafolo Francis Daffour Gideon Balinda Hazel Mpofu Jose Pereira Dias Kennedy Njauzi Kusa Tondo Melvan Gjeta Michael Griffiths Nkululeko Sibanda (Fred) Sadik Plepi Tobi Olayemi Vincent Mukini
events & social Adam Battilana Amy Burke Ben Carr Ben Hewitt Cheryl Seabrook Cheryl Williams Claire Barton Clare Gilligan Dalene Van Breda Ed Syder Emily Burke Emma Lake Fernando Ferriera Fiona Allen Ian Ballantyne Jacob Kiessi Jameelah Keane James Redhead Jess Heap Jodi Kerrigan Joel McKay-Smith
Jonathan Smith Jude Macaskill Julia Hasselberg Laura Coupar Laurance Halpern Liz Vincent Luc Fostin Lucy Hadfield Martin Shaw Matt Lake Matt O’Brien Matthew Miller Matthew Pendergast Megan Moxon-Holt Michael McMullan Michelle Palagano Millie Nykvist Mohammed Dawood Neil Foster Nicole Schmeidefeild Patrick Ball Paul Simm Petr Sittek Radslav Bublak Rogerio Furlan Ruth Lilley Sagi Shtrosberg Sally Gilford Sam Williams Sarah Brierley Sarah Guiste Sarah McDonald Sarah Russell Sarah Williamson Stephen Allan Steve Smith Subramanian Sundaram Tom Lyons Tony Holland-Barrett Victor Soneye Victoria Clarke Will Shaw Zacarias Matala
finance Annie McGoff Craig Taylor Dave Carter Elenepha Potolani Geoff Fenton Jane Lloyd Joan Fleet Julie Mcintyre Katie Higgins Lesley Charlsworth Martin O’Malley Nadeem A. Raja Neil Stracey Shona Baxter Valasker McSteel
human resources Elaine Oakes Emma Pagent Linda Lunn Louise Saunders Rhian Cooke
learning Abigail Robertson Amy Owen Andy Dand Ayesha Ansari Ben Faulks Beth Hewitt Caroline Heap Captain Metropolis Charlotte Maudsley Claire Eddlestone Rose Claire Yuille Debbie Measor Ed Watts Emma Horridge Frances Walker Geography Tortoise Heather Williams Ivan McDouall Kirstin Sillitoe Laura Pottinger Lela Keighley Leslie Richmond Melissa Rainey Mimi Faulks Ruth Ibegbuna Sally Fort
Sharon Bogacki Sheryl Clowes Steven Roper
maintenance Earl Gordon John Murphy Martin Fawthrop Simon Roeburn Steve Davenport
marketing Andrew Glester Ben Cowburn Caroline Ashworth Claire Taylor Deborah Smith Jo Forrest Liam Palmer Lisa Risbec Maria Taboada Salvatierra Peggy Manning Rosaleen Forde
operation management Alex King Amanda Thomas Beryl Phala Chris Jessup Damian Barton Eleanor Owen Ian Wareing Jess Holbrook Jon Chisnall Matthew Dawson Noel Tegg Scott Fortune Stephen Nuttall Steve Sloan
operations Adam Cadwell Ady Hughes Amy Healy Andy Campbell Andy Haines Andy Toy Anna Kaczmarek Becca Gilbert Bethen Lloyd Worthington Bola Olayembi Brenden Walsh Brian Allen Brian Simpson Charlotte Poole Ciara Finney Claire Tellier Claudia Soares Dan McGowan Dave Burton David Jeeva Debs Partington Des Royle Diane Rickerby Ditte Sass Dr Mark Curran Durga Goplan Ed Crowcroft Ed Kluz Elizabeth Chadwick Elizabeth Drewett Elizabeth Parker Gemma Field Gemma Lewis-McAlpine Gemma Parker Greg Foster Hannah Withers Harriet Cooper Helen Adams Helen Bradbury Helen Bridge Helen Dring Jac Ashton Janine Cramer Jayne Reed Jenny Core Jenny Leonard Jo Ball Joanna Webster Jonathan Mace Kaja Zawlewska Kate hardy Kate Royle Kay Carson Keith Moggach Kevin Eccleston Kim Whalen Kirstin McKechnie
Lachlan Fulton Laura Burrow Laura Ramsden Laura Williams Leyla Heravi Liam Meyer Liz Berise Liz Druitt Luke Walker Lyndsay White Makola Mayambika Maria Kroustalli Maria Stracy Marion Rothwell Mark Buchanan Marva Aiken Mary-Beth Whittingstall Maya Stratton Brook Mel Stone Melanie Birtwhistle Michelle Platt Mike Spencer Mike Stott Natalie Bay Nicole Schmeidefeld Pauline Murray Rachael McConkey Ralph Corke Rashed Abuodeh Reuben Coulton Richard Bannister Rob Slater Rory Macdonald Sallyann Browning Sam Williams Sarah Brisco Sarah Colllins Sarah-Jane Masters Shiv Gonsai Siobhan McGrogan Stephen Kelly Stephen Walsh Steve Hanson Susan Elliot Tamzin Forster Theo Turner Thomas Roberts Tim Barber Tony Morelli Verity Hollywood Victoria Swinglehurst Yasmin Pemberton Zane Squires Zoe James
shop Benedict Farr Gareth Wood Irene Garcia Kelda Savage Nina Rudnick Security Alan Machin Allistar Moore Andrew Jane Ashley Sewell Chris Balkoski Colin Lambert Dale Bloor Elizabeth Rodgers Jan Jachymiak Kevin Smith Mark Page Matthew Dawson Pete Pearce Pippa Andrews Ross Wilde Tony Hyde Waseem Khan Wesley Fernandez
technical Cara Hayes Chris Mclean Claire Lawler Darren O’Brien Dave Barstow Dave Siddall Dave Woodcock Jim Powell Jonathan Partington Kieth Ashton Marcus Winstanley
Miriam Stone Sue Grey Tom Gannon Tony Burnes
the modern Adam McClean Adele Hand Amanda Wearing Anna Matthams Anthony Hesford Ashley Hanson Barney Kahn Bruno Taveres Carine Onkong Eniang Chole Naylor Chris Eason-Brookes Clark Hatchet Clementine Beach Eleanor Ridley Frantisek Halfar Genevieve Lavoie-Mathieu Hugo Abadio Igor Ruzicka Jan Racek Jaraslav Novotka Jen Boyd Jonathan Stephenson Jurgita Vaitkute Kay Hill Kelly Riley Kirstin Wright Laura Thom Libby Scarlett Liz Mittler Lucy McDonald Lucy Murfin Luz Valencia Maria Pettersson Martin Polok Matt O’Brien Matus Ottinger Maya De Paula Hanika Neil Kall Nicholas Garcia Paul Faulkner Pavel Fiala Richard Helliwell Ross Parker Sam Lovejoy Sarah Brewer Sarah Jenkins Siobhan McGoff Sonia Leese Stefan Hanzeli Stephanie Griggs Suart Valentine Tom Sullivan Tomaz Szpakowski Valdimir Vlk Victoria Selisney
tours Frances Ridley Gemma Field Eva Elliott Joanna Chomeniuk John Fitzgerald Lisa Burke Lucy Biddle Mark Rainey Vanessa Wall
to the generous and collaborative individuals, collectives, organisations, businesses and institutions who supported our temporary exhibitions programme – 3sixty Media Abi Anderson Adam Comstive Adam Lurie, Adam Parker Smith Adam Pushkin, Adidas Y-3 Aesthetica Magazine Agusta Thorarinsdottir Aiden O’Rourke Al Baker Alan Ward Alden & Mary Kimbrough
Alex Culshaw Alex Fakso Alex Farquharson Alex Knight and all at Handball Crew Alex Saint Alex Wood Alice Bradshaw Alice Kettle Alison Beasley Alison Surtees Alison Welsh Amanda Coleman Amanda Wallace AMAS AMODELS Andrea Schlieker Andrew at Art Vinyl Andrew Bracey Andrew Diey Andrew Melchior Andrew Oliver Andrew Palmer Andrew Paul Brooks Andrew Wilson Andy Haymes Andy Serraillier Andy Spinoza Ang Matthews Anita Morris Anna Mercedes Anne Kirkbride Annie Merry Anthony Cook Anthony Wilson Antony Hall Anys Williams Arison Gallery Arthur Parsons Arts Council of England North West Astrasigns Atari Awesome Badges Axis Graphic Design Baba Israel Baby Cow Productions Babycakes Barney Doodlebug Barney Francis Barry Skillin BBC Manchester Beacons for a Brighter Future Beezer Ben Casey Ben Kelly Ben Seary Ben Watts Benji Reid Big Dave and all at SIDS Bigjobs Bill Tyson Billy X Jennings Bizzare Creations Blast Theory Blitz Game Studios Blue Print Studios Bob Dickinson Bob Levene Brian Blake Bridget Sawyers Buff Diss Burnie Furey Carharrt Carl Royle Carlo McCormick Carol Wells Caroline Elleray Carolyn Salas Castlefield Gallery Catherine Braithwaite Catherine Twite Centre for the Study of Political Graphics Ceri Hand Cerysmatic Factory Chanje Kunda Channel M Charles Cecil Charlie Dark Charlotte Alexa Cherry Red Records Chinese Art Centre
‘Strange how potent cheap music is.’ Noel Coward, Private Lives
Popular culture changes lives in a way that high culture never can. Yet it is something that is almost impossible to celebrate without losing the essence of what makes it important. There is little more exciting than dancing for 24 hours in a field. There is little more boring than a cultural studies tome analysing why people choose to dance for 24 hours in a field. Popular culture fails in museums, because museums can’t do Pop. If it’s currently out there, currently happening, it can’t be captured, can’t be stuck in a dusty case. It’s a matter of emotion, of time, of fleeting experiences. The essence of popular music is not to be found by flicking through vast databases of family trees, or by looking at the ‘actual’ guitar that Jimi Hendrix played at Woodstock; it’s about emotional connections. It’s about shared memories, shared communities and a guarding of secret knowledge. Yet popular culture is important. Vital. It deserves to be treated with respect. It is a culture that’s created, constructed and influenced by everyone. Over the course of six years, Urbis developed a new way of exhibiting popular culture. We took a step beyond simply exhibiting the tickets, the guitars and objects behind glass walls, frozen in their dusty world, surrounded by close-typed descriptions. We found a way of connecting that left the museum behind. We shied away from attempting to find critical distance, instead trying to immerse people in the experience of popular culture; providing those moments of in-drawn breath that come from a remembered icon; creating moments of conversation that arise from a shared memory, a uniting experience. In Videogame Nation and HomeGrown, we provided exhibitions so dense in material that even the most uninterested visitor could experience what it meant to be a fan. And in Black Panther we showed how design, music and politics could mix to change the world – dramatically and forever. It is fitting that we chose not to fade away. The best popular culture is about something that’s fleetingly experienced and then stops. No gig should last more than an hour, no sitcom more than two series, no band should be together after ten years. Live it, enjoy it and leave it for the next generation before it grows stale. Our influence, how we reflected the excitement, the verve and the passion of popular culture, will live on. We were, and are, the only people to make it work in a gallery. We’re proud of what we did. And we’re proud of what will follow. Vaughan Allen Chief Executive
Urbis Has Left the Building Nobody said it would be easy. In fact, with a remit to cover the shifting, contentious and frequently disputed arena of popular culture, Urbis was always going to find it hard. Sometimes we got it right; other times we didn’t. But, seven years after opening, we have much to be proud of – and this exhibition charts our success in staging shows that began and ended with urban culture. So what did we do? We put on international art and design exhibitions whose UK premieres took place in Manchester. We ran the internationally lauded RECLAIM, a project that changed the lives of kids from Gorton to Moss Side. We celebrated Manchester’s successful sons and daughters while supporting emerging artists, musicians, writers and designers. We looked back at some of the seismic changes in popular culture over the past few decades, and mapped out where music, design, fashion and more might be heading in the years to come. We examined the best advertising and design in the world; we got families grappling with climate change and sustainability; and we turned the gallery into a giant playground. We documented the things that no one had ever tried to do before – our UK Hip Hop exhibition was just one such show. Way before Banksy made it big, we were the first British gallery to put on a show of street art. We staged our own art, music and fashion awards. We explored everything from television to post-industrial decline, via the Hong Kong handover and civil rights. And we ran an exhibition that the editor of the Museums Journal declared one of the ‘best exhibitions of the decade’. So here’s to Urbis, to all its ups and downs, to its many successes, to its public and private failures. Here’s to the effort and the energy we invested in making it work. And here’s to the people who put their all into recording the un-recordable, into pinning down Pop, into creating an exhibition centre of urban culture that was loved and occasionally loathed and, most of all, was undeniably Mancunian. We loved popular culture and, in the end, we lost ourselves to it. Now, close the door on your way out, won’t you?
Personally, I think Urbis has become a very very important part of Manchester’s life, as a showcase of our past and our future it is invaluable. They have a great team of people who really believe in this city. Doing the Haçienda exhibition proves that without you this city would be a much poorer place! Thanks to you all. Peter Hook
...Urbis is all about celebrating city life and those who live there; embracing all cultures. The American 2008
From Millennium Dome style embarrassment, to a great Manchester icon. May Urbis’ Manchester (or world) domination continue... MEN 2008
Urbis should be regarded as one of the cities major resources. Only Urbis could have mounted such a range of cutting edge exhibitions in Manchester. It provides the greatest platform to host local, national and international exhibitions making it one of Manchester’s most important hubs. Ben Kelly, Ben Kelly Design
Urbis’ exhibition programme is inspiring. We need exhibition venues like Urbis, which encourages people of all ages to look and think about the world around us from a new perspective, sparking ideas, creativity and imagination in the visitors who pass through its doors. As we enter this period of turbulent economic times, art culture and education are the way forward and Urbis and its visionary work force are definitely leading the way. Peter J Walsh, Photographer
Urbis isn’t quite an “art” center… it’s more of an exhibition space about creative production. I found it incredibly fun and interesting – the self awareness many art museums and galleries have about crossing the lines between art and science or politics or history were completely gone. Instead it presented a general display of culture and the way it affects all areas of life and makes people who they are. Melissa Matuscak, Director of the DeVos Art Museum at Northern, Michigan University
DESIGN D&AD Exhibitions // Little Black Dress // Manga // The Peter Saville Show // SuperCity // Matthew Williamson How did we do design at Urbis? We mixed it up a bit. We presented one of the world’s greatest art directors alongside a young design collective. We harked back to Factory before looking to new trends. We went from the SuperCity to the little black dress. And we charted some of the most significant design trends of the past 25 years along the way. Many shows staged at Urbis had a connection to Manchester, from a Matthew Williamson retrospective to an exhibition about the Haçienda. But although the city continually inspired us, we weren’t afraid to bring the best international design here, too. When Manchester became the northern hub for D&AD, Urbis hosted The Best Advertising & Design in the World, while How Manga Took Over the World illustrated a Japanese art form that has infiltrated every aspect of global commercial culture. But rewind a little. Urbis actually launched its changing exhibitions programme with a design show – The Peter Saville Show, a retrospective of the communications designer who started out at Factory Records. Alongside it, Urbis commissioned At Home, eight new works displayed on billboards across the city, each underlining the influence of Manchester on Saville’s practice. At the time, the designer said, ‘Philosophically, it’s rewarding to be asked back to show work in the city where its spirit belongs – and after all these years I’m intrigued to know what Manchester makes of it.’ The answer came not long afterwards when Saville was appointed as Manchester’s Creative Director. In 2005, Urbis staged SuperCity. It presented Will Alsop’s vision of the North as a place that fused every town and city along the M62 into a single, 80 mile-long corridor. Alsop argued that it would bring new cultural and economic cohesion. The Guardian dismissed it as ‘ludicrous’. But with architectural models, artists’ commissions and workshops, visitors were armed with enough information to make up their own minds – and to continue the argument about the future of our cities. Which, to us, was the point of this and so many of our exhibitions: to spark debate.
at home (2004) Ben Cowburn Captured film stills At Home was a landmark project created by Peter Saville and commissioned by Urbis, which saw eight new images displayed on billboards across the city centre. Each image featured an object, chosen by Saville, which had inspired him when growing up, while the billboards themselves disrupted the commercial advertising-dominated visual culture of the city (for a while at least).
the peter saville show I’ve never seen such fantastic work in all the galleries I’ve been to in my life put together! Very inspirational! Judith MMU
I’ve been waiting to see this for twenty years… I’m truly inspired – thank you. Suzanne Atkins
Big fan of factory scene. Not normally interested in exhibitions but I am now!
Inspiring stuff – but it’s great to see it on public display rather than scattered across my bedroom floor, which so many of his album covers have been over the years. Who would have guessed what unknown pleasures lay inside Urbis? Fabulous and intriguing.
The dust jacket for this publication is created from a section cut from the limited edition billboard posters that were produced for the project.
little black dress
manga
Coherent and well put together. Accessible to experts, students and shoppers alike! Well done. More exhibits like this at Urbis please.
Absolutely brilliant exhibition, really like it. I’ve loved Manga for a long time – to see it displayed in such a phenomenal way really blows me away!
Fascinating and so enjoyable. Lots of political and social history and oodles of glamour. Who could ask for more?
Love it! Best Manga showcase ever seen in the UK.
Brilliant to be able to view such a wonderful collection in Manchester.
matthew willaimson AMAZING, the work has totally inspired me. Maisie 14 from Chesterfield
Fascinating – thanks from a wrinkly with a grandson who hopes to be a fashion designer. Irene
Manchester breeds talent – must be something in the water!! Matthew Williamson rocks!
supercity I entered this exhibition with a degree of scepticism, at times throughout this past hour I have felt elation. Largely I leave feeling pessimistic, expecting ideas of this kind to leave a bad taste in the mouth should they ever see the light of day. But I hope I can feel cautiously optimistic, a lasting feeling of maybe‌ just maybe. FANTASTIC!!! Just the kind of vision needed for regeneration and the North. Will be putting my name down for Manchester Chips!
d&ad 06 It all seems to me to be a grand idea to start with, to stop the urban sprawl, the love affair with cars/motorways etc. The magic of northern cities are the cities themselves, which residents strongly identify with, and the marvellous recreational country in between. Will Alsop has started the ball rolling. Let’s pursue a dream!
The exhibition was fierce. I love everything about it. I leave here inspired. Watch out world, here I come! An antidote to a lack of inspiration. Thank you. d&ad 07 D&AD was fabulous. That is creative, stimulating art!!!
KIDS AND FAMILIES Play // Urban Gardening // Videogame Nation How did we treat children and families at Urbis? With respect. We reinvented the humble computer game and took the idea of ‘hands on’ beyond the odd touch-screen interactive display. We ditched the face paints and balloons, ensuring that the culture we dished up for young ‘uns was as interesting as the rest of our creative programme. And we weren’t afraid to get our hands dirty. Urban Gardening was the first ‘living’ exhibition ever staged in a gallery, and it literally brought the outside in. Trees dotted the gallery floor. A five-bed rotation allotment saw us harvest our own vegetables. Alongside practical horticultural advice, we examined climate change and biodiversity and how people from Seoul to Saigon have taken the scraps of land and transformed them into urban gardens. That balance of fun and information was one we struck again in Videogame Nation, an interactive show that charted four decades of British gaming – and included enough consoles and arcade games to keep everyone happy. The Guardian praised its attempt to ‘afford British videogaming proper cultural credibility’. Like all our shows, we stuffed it with detail, from film and audio footage to original artwork, magazines, design documents and Hollywood blockbusters – doing so because we didn’t just want people to play. We wanted them to leave with a better understanding of what was on show. But perhaps we first realised our exhibitions could work for everyone back in 2007 at the launch of Play: Experience the Adventure of Our Cities. Based on the idea that the world’s cities are full of unusual places to play, we built a two-floor, interactive playground and filled it with commissioned film and artworks. The families who came along discovered how to use the city as a stage, a gallery, a garden or a playground and, we hope, developed a new understanding of the built environment in the process. With Play, we wanted the next generation to get to grips with the culture of their hometowns and other cities across the world. We hope we succeeded.
play I love that this place is full of innovative ideas and has lots to do with the city I live in. Wonderful, thanks. I’m coming back with my children. As far as museums go, it’s far from the norm, with a series of interactive exhibits that bring out the child in you. Quick word about the Urbis staff too, exemplary. Urban Life, Mark Burrow
If one exhibition has struck at the heart of what Urbis is about then this is it, play offers a massively refreshing look at our planet’s cities by presenting them as gigantic, growling amusement parks. Photography, installation, moving image and external events combine to convey play’s central philosophy with beautiful clarity. Metro, Mark Powell
urban gardening Great exhibition – probably the best I’ve seen at Urbis. We are urban planning students from the US and found your urban gardening exhibit to be very well executed and informative. It does an excellent job. It was much more enjoyable than I had anticipated. It was eye opening to realise exactly what you can do with limited outdoor space, indeed in your own kitchen.
videogame nation …I would also like to say that I attended the opening night at ‘VideoGame Nation’ and really enjoyed it. It was like visiting a museum, gallery and an arcade all rolled into one, congratulations on a great show. Martin Mir, Introversion
I would like to congratulate you on your videogames exhibition, which is truly fantastic. I am glad to finally see this important part of our culture exhibited in a reputable museum. Silvia Farrero
One for the tech-head kids. Manchester’s magnificent Urbis provides the perfect arena for this attempt to afford British videogaming some proper cultural credibility without spoiling its street-level urban spark. Robert Clark, The Guardian
Playful but intelligent, walled but inclusive, it completely encapsulates what makes games such fascinating things in the first place.
I haven’t seen an event bring people together this magically for a long time, that it would be a collection of videogames to do this is simply marvellous. Gamasutra Blog, Lewis Denby
international artists Arrivals and Departures // The China Show // DTroit // Emory Douglas // Futuresonic 04 // Ill Communication I & ll // State of the Art: New York Urbis liked to act local and think global. We went to New York and brought back work from contemporary visual artists working there. We marked the tenth anniversary of the Hong Kong handover by commissioning ten works by Hong Kong and British Chinese artists. We took art onto the streets and brought street art into the gallery. And we created a series of exhibitions that featured new and never-seenbefore work from international artists, all of it presented with a Mancunian twist. Urbis has always had an affinity with its global counterparts. One of the first international shows we staged, for example, was DTroit, which presented the work of ten Detroit artists and drew parallels between the culture of the Motor City and Manchester. We didn’t shy away from difficult subjects. In 2003, Ill Communication brought street art into the gallery for the UK’s biggest (and first) such exhibition. At a time before Banksy made it big, when local authorities were waging war on graffiti artists, we made people stop and think: is it street art or it is just a criminal offence? Difficult, too, was the subject matter of our most successful international show. Declared one of the ‘best exhibitions of the decade’ by the Museums Journal, Black Panther: Emory Douglas and the Art of Revolution presented Emory Douglas, a member of the American civil rights movement, to British audiences for the first time. Douglas was the Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party, a political group once dubbed ‘the greatest threat to the internal security’ of the US. Douglas played a key role in persuading African Americans to take a stand against repression by creating a new visual mythology: rather than portraying Black Americans as passive victims, his images depicted men, women and children as empowered individuals capable of bringing about lasting change. Black Panther underlined how art can function as a political tool. It illustrated that our visitors weren’t afraid of tackling complex, ‘challenging subjects. And it couldn’t have been better timed: a month after the exhibition opened, Barack Obama was elected President of the United States.
emory douglas I learned more today about these issues that in any of my previous 54 years. Is this the most explosive exhibition of recent years? Urbis deserves praise for doing it. Urbis has delivered a stunning and information rich exhibition for Manchester and the UK, it feels almost revolutionary. I can’t think of another UK museum that would have taken a chance on an exhibition like this. Museums Journal, Felicity Haywood
No clever lines, just the truth! I can’t express my appreciation for the thought and work put into this exhibition. The outstanding Emory Douglas exhibition at the Urbis, in Manchester is much more than an art show, visitors can feel the atmosphere the black panthers developed in and the outrage that made the party grow. Socialist Worker
emory douglas I, Emory Douglas, as the former Revolutionary Artist and Minister of Culture of The Black Panther Party, personally want to thank you for putting together such an informative and unique interactive retrospective of my work giving the visitors insight into the climate of the time from which the art itself evolved, and also insight into the social concerns from which I draw my inspiration. It is truly amazing. It was a wonderful journey meeting such nice people at
Urbis whom in some way played a part of making the exhibit truly a beautiful, educational experience... Truly a one of a kind exhibit of my work which has never been done before in this way. Thank you again for putting so much passion into this project. Much appreciation. Emory Douglas
The best exhibitions of the Autumn... Black Panther – the first time work by Emory Douglas, the official artist of the Black Panther civil rights movement, has been exhibited in this country. The Times
state of the art: new york Excellent displays of very contemporary artwork. Urbis is doing a great job with some excellent exhibitions. Thanks again! I love how you are involving internationally influenced pieces to bring some culture to Manchester. Good job guys. Working with Urbis has been one of the most constructive experiences in my public art career. Urbis has demonstrated a willingness and capacity to work outside of their traditional
china parameters at Cathedral Gardens. For my project “True Yank”, Urbis took the necessary steps to manifest my concept for Manchester’s city centre. Through both simple and difficult aspects of the process, Urbis remained committed to my vision and made sure that it was realized correctly. My relationship with Urbis has now provided a standard by which to measure all collaborations with cultural institutions going forward. Leon Reid IV, Brooklyn, NY 2009
Assuming this isn’t an April Fool it has a serious point. I did not know the statue was there, or why it was there. This is art – it has succeeded in making people think about what the statue means and how it makes them feel. Comment from local_lass, Burnage on MEN website, 01.04.09
Precisely the kind of exhibition Urbis should be presenting – relevant, instructive and thought provoking on issues pertaining to the built environment! Great exhibition, shows how China REALLY is. Because of this exhibition I’m fascinated, someone take me there!
dtroit
ill communication 2
Brilliant! Could have spent hours in here, had I known it would be so good I’d have allowed a whole day to explore.
This was way beyond ‘street’. This is art reflecting how it is from viewpoints I will never see.
Brilliant exhibition, especially the use of new media. A credit to Urbis. Without this exhibition I would never have known there’s so much in Detroit’s experience we can share here in Manchester.
Was ace – makes you realize that graffiti doesn’t always deserve the bad press that it gets. Very inspirational. Loved it all. Now I know where to come if I‘m stuck for material at school! (year 11 art student)
Back bigger and better, the second coming of Ill Communication… whether you view street art as a valid form of art or not, there’s no denying the strength and variety of the images on display. City Life (Manchester), Richard Smirke
music culture Haçienda // Hip Hop // Mick Rock // Punk Manchester is synonymous with music. From Madchester and acid house to Hip Hop and electronica, this is a city that is as sonorous as it is urban. But the problem with music is that it’s complicated. And the problem with new music in particular is that it has no definitive history. So we did what few others had done: we took the unpredictable, unwritten, contentious riot that is popular music and turned it into a series of comprehensive, credible exhibitions. We began with Punk. PUNK: Sex, Seditionaries & The Sex Pistols demonstrated the influence of punk on everyone from Tony Wilson and John Cooper Clarke to Linder Sterling – and how it paved the way for the Manchester music revival that was to follow. Which brings us to Factory Records and the Haçienda, without which, it sometimes seems, Manchester would be nothing. Haçienda 25: FAC491 set out the history of the club and its legacy, one that still sets the bar for culture here today. (If you don’t believe us, here are three examples: Manchester International Festival draws on the city’s musical past; Peter Saville remains a key cultural figure; and the late Tony Wilson’s In The City continues to define the music industry.) It would have been easy for us to keep looking back, but we didn’t. ‘Ever been to a museum and felt like they don’t represent you or your heritage? This is the total opposite,’ said DJ Semtex of HomeGrown: The Story of UK Hip Hop. This was the first attempt to document the British Hip Hop scene, from its American roots to its recent entry into the mainstream. Like the Haçienda show before it, Urbis started from scratch with this exhibition, building up a network of contributors who gave us access to their personal collections of tapes, film, posters, letters, photographs and fanzines. It is the most comprehensive exhibition of its kind. It is the outcome of months of research, telephone calls, dead ends and lucky breaks. And, like all of our shows, it wasn’t so much hard graft as a labour of love.
haçienda What a beautiful collection of fantastic memorabilia! Everyone I know had been to this amazing exhibition at least 3 times! Thank you. It made me think of when I was young! Life was fun & I was thin! Great exhibition that brought a tear to my eye! Two words GO NOW. It’s a superb exhibition… we’ve just been and it is simply stunning. Juicy Design blog
punk As a Mancunian of a certain age who hazily remembers the stark but contemporary inners of the original Haçienda, the 25th year celebration could only have been held at Urbis. The recreation of the atmosphere and the appearance of some of the founders brought it all back. A fitting tribute to the old and new faces of Manchester. John Bentley MD ANSA
Your punk show f*****g rocks! What do I get? I get it all in one exhibition. A rock n roll revolution not just art! Brought back loads of happy memories. The best f*****g bands in history shown in their true light, all in one exhibition – hell yeah!
mick rock Truly inspiring work. We came out of the exhibition on a high. Steve and Tasneem
Absolutely stunning! The best exhibition I’ve ever seen. A rock star with a camera. Felt like I was right there doing the shoots, amazing. Incredible to see these photographs presented so well – and Bowie looks more beautiful than you could imagine!
Excellent exhibition. Oozes with cool.
hip hop The best hip hop exhibition I have ever seen. It’s brilliant, very coherent, informative, and captured some great moments of Hip-Hop history. Ever been to a museum and felt like they don’t represent you or your heritage? This is the total opposite. DJ Semtex
manchester creative community 0161 Manchester // Best of Manchester Awards // British Art Show 6 // Catapult 07 // Every Cloud // Hidden Manchester // Ink Tank // Manchester 24 // Ghosts of Winter Hill Urbis has long supported those at the coalface of the creative industries, the artists, musicians and designers working now, today, on new work. We set up our own annual art, music and fashion awards. We exhibited the cream of the graduate crop, and then the best of the British Art Show. And we created a platform for emerging artists, giving them the chance to showcase their work in new ways, often in an entirely new setting. Working with emerging artists often provided a fresh perspective on the city. Reality Hack: Hidden Manchester featured a series of large-scale works by photographer Andrew Paul Brooks. The resulting pictures, of concealed and forgotten towers, courtyards and arches, were eye opening not simply for their drama. They revealed a secret city and its unsung heroes, those men and women who are the stewards of the industrial buildings that give Manchester its architectural soul. And then there were our showcases of fresh talent: the British Art Show, a citywide exhibition of the best contemporary visual art in the country, Celebration of Talent 06 and Catapult 07, which selected work from the city’s creative graduates. But our greatest success came from the people we supported – such as the Best of Manchester winners and nominees. Roger McKinley went on to launch the arts annual, Corridor8. Jayne Compton published her Arts Council-funded book, Strange Trees. Fashion winner Holly Russell saw her designs modelled by Lady Gaga. Nabil El Nayal, tipped by the national press as ‘the next face of British womenswear’, launched a collection at River Island. Owl Project won an Arts Council Cultural Olympiad commission. Naomi Kashiwagi won the Individual Artist Award at the Art Council’s art08 awards. Simon Buckley, who runs Rags to Bitches, was Highly Commended for Best Womenswear in the Drapers Awards. Daniel Clark, of the Northern Quarter-based Junk Shop, launched a collection at Topshop’s Oxford Street store. These success stories sum up what we did at Urbis: we supported creative professionals when they needed it most – when they were on the verge of making it to the next level of their careers.
boma The real winner was the ‘Best of Manchester Awards’ exhibition… The dark David Lynch-esque illustration work by Rachel Goodyear was top notch. Also, the mash up of wood, sound waves and carpentry by the Owl project was intriguing. Overall, the quality of work was brilliant – which left me feeling satisfied with that post exhibition glow you still get occasionally.
Another fine initiative from a resurgent Urbis that should be applauded. Manchester Confidential
british art show Fantastic to see Urbis bringing real art to Manchester. An incredible space to see incredible work. I’m not normally a fan of modern art but this was amazing.
hidden manchester The space is perfect for the exhibition… Perhaps the biggest appeal of these pictures is that they portray places that are undisturbed and underexplored. Looking at them acknowledges childlike fantasies of escaping the crammed city for somewhere where we are free to be ourselves and explore unconstrained. Somewhere to get lost. Manchester Confidential
Supporting a local artist, producing beautiful work and opening my eyes to places I never knew existed in my own city. This is why Manchester needs Urbis. A truly beautiful collection. Sue Steward – BBC Radio 2, Claudia Winkelman’s Arts Show
0161 manchester Fantastic exhibition made me proud of being a Mancunian. Best exhibition ever. Never been to Manchester before and this is the perfect way to get to know it for real. Brings the city to life. Manchester’s surpassed my expectations. I reckon I’ll come back.
ghosts of winter hill A brilliant exhibition about Manchester and its influence on T.V. Will come again soon. I am bowled over by this exhibition which trawls through lost images – still and moving – from the history of television in Manchester. I can’t recommend it too highly. Aidan O’Rourke
Thank you To our tireless, enthusiastic, intelligent, sometimes overworked, always hard-working members of staff without whose contribution Urbis couldn’t have succeeded – To the generous and collaborative individuals, collectives, organisations, businesses and institutions who supported our temporary exhibitions programme – To our visitors, the people who watched and learned, who took part and made their voices heard, and who animated the building day and night for seven years – Thank you, and good night.
collaborative individuals, collectives, organisations, businesses and institutions cont’d – Chris Dessent Christophe G. ‘Boom Boom’ Le Shawk Chris Nelson Chris Nield Chris Sullivan Christian Payne Christine Wilcox-Baker City Inn Claire Lomax Clare Ceprynski Codemasters Col Dunkerly, Col Emerson Colin Fallows Colin Torr Comme Ça Art Community Museum Project Company Pictures Computer Arts Console Passion Contents May Vary Cookie Pryce Cornerhouse Coutts & Co. CP Lee Creative Match Creativefix Crowne Plaza Cuba Organic Support Group CUBE Dan Parrott Dan Steele Danny John Jules Danny May Danwei TV Dave ‘Skwerm’ Ellis Dave Barlow Dave Haslam Dave Kinsey Dave Smith Dave Walley Dave Woodward David Berezan David Chatterton David Crookes David Crow David Hayley David Lawrence David Lubich David Martin David Nolan Davis Mallon Dawn Hinton Debrah King Delta Airlines Digital UK Dixon Bate Framing DJ Semtex DJ Woody Dmitri Lugnov Donna Loveday Dr. Miles Lambert Dr. Philip Oliver Drew Hemment Duncan Sime Dusty Gedge Eamon Mooney Eden Creative Spaces Eidos Electronic Arts Elena Borodenko Elliot Eastwick Emily Dennison Emily Deyn Emma Dibb, Emma Mahony Emma Reading Emma Wyre Emory Douglas eteam Eyebeam Fallacy Felicity Luard, Fergus Ferrious Figfilm First Bus Flic Everett Flux Magazine
Forays Frank Lane Frankland Tree Services Free Play Network FrenchMottershead Frontier Developments Galerie Nordine Zidoun GAME Gandalf Gavan Gary Aspden, Gary McClarnan Gary Webb Gemma Harrison Gemma Milton Geoff Senior GMPTE Goldblade Gordon Cheung Gorgeous Couture Goshka Macuga Graeme Park Graham @ Forbidden Planet Graham Anderson Graham Brooker Graham Jones Graham Massey Grant Associates Greg Keeffe Greg Wilson Gretton Family Groundwork North West Gulbenkian Foundation Hannah Longhlin Harvey Nichols Hasan Hejazi Hayward Gallery Helen Eckersley Helen Murgatroyd Helen Palmer Helen Thomas Helle Nebelong Henrietta Smith-Rolla Hilary Powell Hillegonda Rietveld, Holly Russell Hors De Prix Hong Kong Arts Development Council Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office Howard Chan Howard Devoto HSBC Ian Banks Ian Forrester Ian Rawlinson Ian Williams Ian Wilson ICP Framing Igloo Design Ilka Hartmann Imagine Publishing Imperial War Museum, North Influenza Ink Tank Irfan Isabel Turner ITS Leisure ITV Granada Jacqueline Naraynsingh Jai Redman Jake Green James Hulme James McNally James Pendlebury Jan Hargreaves Jane Parsons Jasper Wilkinson Jayne Compton Jehst Jennie C. Jones Jeremy Deller Jessica Lowe Jo Ani Jo Franks Joe Stocks-Brook Joe Winter Joel Chester Fildes Joel Rogers John Cooper Clarke John Drape John McGrath John Robb John Walsh Johnnie Hamp Johnstones paint Ltd
Jon Burgerman Jon Dasilva Jon Follows Jon Hare Jon Paul Waddington Jon Savage Jonathan Cauldwell Jonathan Robinson Jonathan Sadler Jonathan Thompson Joseph Velosa Julian Broster Julie Lawrence Justin Crawford Jutta Mason Kamal Ackarie Kami Karen Gabay Karen Nicol Kate Day Kate Dempster Kate Feld Katie Moffat Katie Webb Kayleigh Hannah Keith Ainsworth Keith French Keith Stickland. Keith Warrender Kelzo Kenneth Tin-Kin Hung Kerenza McClarnan Kermit Kevin O’ Rourke Kid Acne Kiesha Thompson Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery Kudos Film & Television Kwong Lee Laing O’Rourke Larissa Goldston Gallery Laura Empsall Laurie Peake Lee Donnelly Len Grant Leo Fitzmaurice Leon Reid IV Leonie Paris Lesa Dryburgh Lesley Gilbert LEUNG Mee Ping Liam Spencer Libby Sellers Lincoln Cushing Linnie Blake Linton Kwesi Johnson Liz Edwards Liz Molyneux Liz Murphy Liz Mutch Liz Naylor Loomit Lorraine Shaw Lottie Child Louise Brookes LoVid Lucie Bridge Luke Bainbridge Luz Valencia Maeve O’Sullivan MagneticNorth Manchester Art Gallery Manchester City Council’s Play Services Manchester District Music Archive Manchester Metropolitan University Margaret & Don Groarke Marianne Stroyeva Marine Hugonnier Marion Hewitt Mark Beaumont Mark Brennan Mark Jones Mark Pierson Mark Titchner Mark Tweedale Marketing Manchester Marok Martin Fawthrop Martin Moscrop Martin Oldham Martin Stockley Mary Culhane
Matt Johnson Matthew Bamber Matthew Capper Matthew Houlding Matthew Lutz-Kinoy Matthew Norman Matthew Smith Matthew Williamson Max Moran MCC Environmental Strategy and Campaigns MCL Ltd Me and Yu Mel Kirby Mendo, Michael Antoniou Michael Bracewell Michael Brennand Wood Michael Eastwood Michael England Michael Paul Britto Michael Schall Michael Trainor Michael Wray Mick Marsden Mick Middles Mick Rock Mike Blair Mike Emmerick Mike Lewis Mike Pickering Mikey Don Mimi Lane Miranda Sawyer Mishaal Mansoor Missy Finger Misty Keasler Moseley meets Wilcox Nabil El-Nayal Naomi Kashiwagi Natalie Cutis Nathan Coley Nathan Cox National Media Museum Neequaye Dsane Neil Cummings and Marysia Lewandowska Neil Scott New Deal Newmindspace Nick Crowe Nick Johnson Nick Lawrenson Nicola Butler Nicola Shindler Nigel Howe Nils Norman Nintendo Normski North West Film Archive North West Urban Explorers Noyek Ltd Office of Subversive Architects oi polloi Olivier Stak Onek NM Optimistic Productions Os Gemeos Pachel Vallance Pak Sheung-chuen Park Studios Pat Oldham Pat Weller Paul Cons Paul Drury Paul Gravett Paul Griffiths Paul Hampartsoumian Paul Harfleet Paul Haywood Paul Kennedy Paul Morley Paul Stolper Paul Tovee Paul Walker Paula McNamara Paula Taras Peter and Paul Peter Hook Peter Jones Peter Masters Peter Reed Peter Salmon Peter Saville Peter Seal Peter Shelley Peter Wright Peter York Phil Dewhurst
Phil Griffin Phil Lunt Phil Rispin Pierogi Gallery Pirkle Jones Playstation Postmasters Gallery Premiere Inn Proludic PSL Tool Hire Public Works QGardens Rachel Adams Rachel Goodyear Rachel Nelson Rachel Richardson-Jones Rags to Bitches Raph Rare Rebecca Goodwin Red Production Company RetroGamer Revolution Software Ria Hawthorn Richard Cheetham Richard Frankland Richard Reyes Richard Reynolds Richard Scott Richard Shields Richard The Rob Carney Rob Sanderson Robert Bailey Robert Deas Robert Dunne Robert Harwood-Matthews Rockstar Games Roger McKinley Roz Payne RSPB Russell Humphries Ruth Tyson-Jones Sally Lai Sally Mclintock Sally Williams Sam Durant Samantha Withers Samuel Booker-Roberts Sapphire Sarah Griffiths Sarah Kershaw Sarah Wu Sasu Sayaka Hirose Scan Seaming To Sean Stewart Secret Project Robot Severine Cochard Sharon Cameron Shelly McNulty Shelter Serra Sherry Dixon Shoichi Aoki SID Ltd Simon Armstrong Simon Blackmore Simon Buckley Simon Pearson Siu King-chung Slinkachu Smack Mellon Gallery and Studios Snug Media SO, Man Yee Sonia Leong Sony Computer Entertainment (U.K.) Sonya Nolan Soup Collective Spark and all of the North West UrbEx community Speakeasy Spearfish Spoken Image Stefan Strittmatter, Stella So Stephen Nuttall Stephen Page Stephen Powers Stephen Shames Stephen Threlfall
Steve Connor, airbox Steve Connor, Creative Concern Steve Double Steve Foster Steve Hawley Steve Pope and all at Trafford Signs Steve Symons Steven Batty Steven Hanson Steven Kasher Gallery Steven Rand Stirling City Council’s Play Services Strategy Stuart Lawler Studio Glibli Su Andi Subodh Dhanda Sue Fletcher Sue Gutteridge Sue Roberts Sumners Susie Stubbs Swoon System 3 TADO Takao Anzawa Tam Wai Ping Tamsin Drury Tamsin Valentino Tamy Ben-Tor Tayburn Branding and Design Technical Models Teddy Nygh Terratag The Barsky Brothers The Bruce High Quality Foundation The Calouste The Danish Playground Association The Lowry The Museum of Science and Industry The Owl project The Royal Exchange Workshops The Space Hijackers The Voice TheGreenEyl+Sengewald Tiffany Foster Tim ‘Bones’ Ford Tim Marlow Tim Thomas Tim Wilcox Tina Mullen Toby Paterson Tom Bloxham Tom Dyckhoff Tony Brydon Tony Milroy Tony Wilson Tosh Ryan Toyko Royale Toykopop Tracey Hughes Travis Perkins Trevor Johnson Trevor Jones and all at CPS Trevor Schoonmaker TTGames UHC Unicorn Grocery University of Salford Upper Space Gallery Urban Splash Vanessa Champion Vicky Martin Vikram Kalshal Warren Bardsley Wayne Hemmingway Whaley’s Whitworth Art Gallery Will Alsop Will Robson Scott William Titley XBOX360 xfm Xing Danwen Yang Sing Yuen Fong Ling Zach Feuer Gallery Zoe Higgins
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