Event type: Exhibition

Firing Up Bridge Cottage presents work by ceramic artists including internationally-renowned sculptor Emma Rodgers, ‘Great Pottery Thrown Down’ finalist and emerging artist Jacob Chan, and comedy legend turned artist Johnny Vegas, alongside others.

The exhibition connects Bridge Cottage in Port Sunlight to Rodgers’ studio nearby at the historic Fire Engine Station. Many of the artworks have been specially created for the exhibition, drawing on stories from Port Sunlight’s past, as well as the village’s unique architecture and character.

Founded in 1920, the Society of Wood Engravers has long championed the continuing practice of this skilled printmaking technique by holding annual exhibitions to celebrate the vision and versatility of contemporary engravers.

The 87th Annual Exhibition presents over 120 prints selected from an open submission to display a broad diversity of style and subject-matter by both members and non-members from the UK and overseas; all brought together by their commitment to excellence in an exacting medium.

This is the first time in over 25 years that this stunning exhibition has been presented in the Northwest of England, so it is with great pleasure that Kirkby Gallery presents this annual show for the first time.

Complementing this, in The Entrance Gallery is a show of book art curated by Liverpool Book Art, Printmaking Today and SWE responding to the theme, ‘Letting in the Light’, aimed at encouraging exchange and cross-over of ideas and techniques between book artists and printmakers.

Wild landscapes filled with atmospheric light evoke changing seasons, and loose brush marks can make the viewer believe they can feel the spray of a waterfall on their face. This series of paintings by Helène Dougherty are windows of escapism – to places unlike where the artist lives. Views of the ocean and the towering waterfalls, which fascinate Helène, capture the energy of water as it moves.

These, along with the forests and skies are inspired by places in Wales, remembered and referenced from photographs, and then painted in her studio in St Helens.

The title of the exhibition, taken from TS Eliot’s poem ‘East Coker’ refers to Helène’s use of light and movement and this collection of work is part of the artist’s drive to paint more loosely and less figuratively. In order to develop as a painter she is fighting against a tendency to use tighter brush marks to paint realistically – this theme of change is also referenced in that poem:

“In order to arrive at what you are notYou must go through the way in which you are not.”

These softer, looser connections between the parts of the picture make the most of the qualities of paint and give the audience space to react emotionally to the work – placing themselves in these landscapes and allowing their memory to dance in the light.

Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is set to return to Liverpool this summer after attracting an amazing 60,000 visitors during its UK premiere in the city in 2024.

The unmissable multimedia experience will be at the waterfront Exhibition Centre Liverpool from Tuesday 15th July to Sunday 3rd August.

And city art lovers will also become the first in the country to enjoy a stunning new immersive show, Beyond Monet, receiving its UK premiere in Liverpool and which brings the works of the ‘Father of Impressionism’ to life in mesmerising fashion.

Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet will be staged on different days throughout the three-week run at the landmark waterfront venue.

This inspiring exhibition is a celebration of Brazil’s rich cultural and natural heritage, presenting a beautiful collection of works that explore themes of sustainability, diversity and the importance of indigenous communities.

More than an exhibition, Echoes of Brazil has been designed as an immersive experience. Visitors will have the opportunity to scan QR codes to listen to the Brazilian music that inspired Anne’s creative process, offering a deeper connection with the artwork.

In a significant gesture of support, a portion of the profits from the exhibition will be donated to Bolsa Oro @bolsaoro ,which promotes sustainability through a reverse logistics system to transform plastic waste into valuable materials and generate economic opportunities in local regions in Brazil. And to the Instituto Socioambiental @socioambiental, an organisation dedicated to defending the environment, the rights of indigenous peoples, quilombolas, ribeirinhos and traditional communities in Brazil.

Amartey Golding’s solo exhibition marks the conclusion of FACT’s multi-year Resolution project, which explores how art can affect public attitudes and influence decision-making in the justice system.

Known for his emotionally impactful work, Golding collaborates with imprisoned men at HMP Altcourse (Liverpool, UK) to create a large-scale chainmail sculpture weighing over 200 kilograms. Together, the group have crafted an intricate garment that represents their shared stories and explores themes of trauma, identity, and societal behaviours. The exhibition features the resulting chainmail garment alongside a new audio work, inviting visitors to reflect on how art can affect public attitudes and create a space for dialogue and representation.

Feature Image: Amartey Golding, In The Comfort of Embers (2023). Solo Exhibition at Power Plant Toronto Canada, 2023. Courtesy the artist. Photo by Toni Hafkenscheid

Opening at Museum of Liverpool on Saturday 14 September 2024, The Holly Johnson Story explores the incredible life of Holly Johnson and his meteoric rise to fame, where he became one of the first openly gay and openly HIV+ high profile artists in history.

The opening of this exhibition also marks the 40th anniversary release of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s album Welcome to the Pleasuredome featuring Relax, Two Tribes and The Power of Love.

Supported by a £142,338 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Museums Liverpool has partnered with local arts organisations Homotopia and DuoVision in collaboration with Holly Johnson to deliver this landmark exhibition that will take visitors on a journey through Holly’s outstanding career, from his early years in Liverpool to international stardom.

Made possible by National Lottery players, the exhibition is part of a project that has documented LGBTQ+ heritage by working with sexual health and wellness charity Sahir, to explore Holly’s archive and capture the stories of local LGBTQ+ people in community workshops and oral history sessions.

Featured in the exhibition are unique items from Holly Johnson’s career, including iconic costumes by Leigh Bowery and Vivienne Westwood, Frankie Goes to Hollywood memorabilia, personal audio accounts of people living with HIV in Liverpool, produced in collaboration with Sahir House, and paintings by Holly himself.

Social and political unrest in a changing 1980s Britain led the way for a cultural revolution, set against a backdrop of synth-pop music and experimental sounds. The era was a time of innovation and rebellion, punks, and new wave bands, and at the forefront stood Holly Johnson.

The Holly Johnson Story charts Holly’s early personal life and career, from a young musician to an internationally renowned, openly gay star, living in the public eye. Dealing with the price of fame, coping with an HIV+ diagnosis and the unwanted negative press, whilst going it alone as a monumental LGBTQ+ icon.

Through polarising emotions of glamour and sexual liberation, alongside fear, loss, and stigma, The Holly Johnson Story tells the stories of people who experienced the gay scene in the 1980s, and the devastating impact and legacy of HIV.

Holly Johnson said: “The opportunity to mount this exhibition is actually like winning the National Lottery for me. As a teenager Music and Art were my passion, reading Jean Genet, William Burroughs and listening to the music of The Beatles, Marc Bolan, David Bowie and The Velvet Underground: seeing the films of Derek Jarman and Andy Warhol along with his supercharged colour paintings. Pondering over Peter Blake’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band artwork as a child led me ultimately to Hollywood and back again. Everything I was ever drawn to, through a lens of Queerness and controversy I brought with me into the future we live in now.”