Event type: Exhibition

Beyond the Beat

Sixteen unseen photographs of musicians from Liverpool’s bustling 1960s Merseybeat era will go on display this June, as Beyond the Beat (29 June to 3 November) at Museum of Liverpool explores the music scene in Liverpool’s bustling nightclubs in the period immediately after the Beatles.

The display will showcase some of the bands that clamoured to play Liverpool’s music scene in the wake of The Beatles monumental fame, through a series of never-before-seen photographs of Liverpool’s Merseybeat scene.

At the heart of the display are international artists who hoped to play in Liverpool and local bands with dreams of following in the Fab Four’s footsteps – including photographs of two currently unidentified bands that curators are keen to track down.

Artists from rock and blues backgrounds including The Yardbirds, The Hollies, John Lee Hooker and Spencer Davis Group, feature in the display alongside local artists that performed during this important era.

Following the stratospheric success of The Beatles and Liverpool’s Merseybeat sound, musicians would flock to play the clubs of Mathew Street, including some of history’s most influential American blues artists.

Front and centre were an army of photographers, including Bill Connell and Les Chadwick from Liverpool studio Peter Kaye Photography. The company documented the performances and crowds that danced to the beat of the clubs during the swinging 60s.

Museum of Liverpool purchased 912 negative strips from Peter Kaye Photography with photographs documenting many different elements of Liverpool life.

From this selection of negatives, 16 never-before-seen images were chosen to go on display for the first time in Museum of Liverpool’s Skylight Gallery for Beyond the Beat. With hundreds more archived in the museum’s collections.

Claire Hunter, assistant curator at Museum of Liverpool, said: “The Beatles may have dominated Liverpool’s music scene in the 1960s, but following their departure from the stages of Mathew Street, hundreds of artists wanted a chance to walk in their footsteps.

“This small selection of photographs, taken from a huge archive by Peter Kaye Photography, captures the essence of the Merseybeat scene. The energy of the clubs, the enthusiasm of the crowds and the power of the musicians to captivate their audiences.

“Beyond the Beat looks past the Fab Four and at some of the local, national and international artists that made the city swing.”

Alongside well-known acts and local bands, two unknown Liverpool acts feature in the display and Museum of Liverpool curators are keen to find out more about both bands. The unknown bands are both thought to be local musicians from Liverpool, but not much more is known about either group.

Museum curators are asking people with information about either of the unknown bands on display to email beyondthebeat@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.

Beyond the Beat is on display and free to visit in Museum of Liverpool’s Skylight Gallery from Saturday 29 June until Sunday 3 November 2024. For more information, please visit: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/beyond-the-beat.

In View

Six young people from Whitby High School were challenged to explore their personal relationship with the current climate crisis. The In View exhibition presents the results of this photography project. The main gallery show is accompanied by a digital window exhibition Through Our Eyes showcasing work from six year 10 students from Gateacre High School, Belle Vale.

For In View, Open Eye Gallery has been working with long-standing partners Whitby High School in Ellesmere Port. With the theme of climate change in mind, six students have been inspired by the LOOK Climate Lab on display at Open Eye Gallery earlier this year and have worked on their own photography projects.

These projects explore the complex relationship between growing up as a young person in Ellesmere Port and a global battle with the world’s climate crisis. From rising sea levels to local green spaces, these six individuals have used their visual language to explore what climate change means to them and their future.

Anna Wijnhoven, creative producer for schools and young people said: In View has been an incredible journey of learning, discussion and protest. The work within the exhibition responds to the urgency of representation needed for young people in the wider conversation around the climate crisis we all face today. This project has helped to equip these young people with the skills and understanding to recognise the value and importance of their role as a future generation living within a climate crisis.

By highlighting and platforming the opinions of young people on this key issue, we hope to inspire, inform and question ways to make positive change for our future – hearing from voices so often lost in this vital area of work. Together, we are turning up the volume on their voice, from a chatter to a shout.

Student Alex Colebrook said: I have enjoyed going out with the group and taking photos of different things related to the project. I have learned the extent of climate change and the effects it has on our planet. I have really enjoyed my time doing this project and working with the people I have done.

The students involved in this project are:

Ellie Bowers

Alec Colebrook

Patsie Davies

Ruby Donaldson

Mia Selby

Riley White

Event

Image: Ellie Bowers

Maria Hammond – In the Window

Maria Hammond is a mixed media contemporary jeweller, passionate about sustainability and our relationship with the environment.

She has been awarded this spotlight exhibition from a range of makers who exhibited at the 2023 MMU School of Art Graduate show. Her work was chosen for it’s creative use of materials and the innovative making and design qualities. By using materials that go unnoticed, or go to waste, she seeks to create pieces that are both beautiful and responsible.

This collection is inspired by an abandoned, derelict industrial building and its decayed materials, which have a unique beauty and character that reflect local history and experiences of life. As it is reclaimed by nature, she is reminded of the cycle of life and death, and is filled with a sense of hope and possibility.

To understand her attraction to the transformative process of time and the representation of memory in buildings and objects, her practise includes burning, patinating, oxidising, and carving. Through these techniques, she aims to create pieces that catch a snapshot of disappearing industrial sites and the beauty in the textures and patterns of their decaying materiality.

Her work is on display ‘In the Window’ on College Lane, and available to purchase in the gallery and online, throughout June 2024.

Summer Exhibition 2024

Bluecoat Display Centre’s Summer 2024 selling exhibition is inspired by a place by the sea. The work of their featured makers captures the spirit of days spent at the coast – whether in glorious sunshine or tempestuous storms – and the treasures we might find and bring home, from interesting shells, pebbles and sea glass to the memory of the colour of the sea at sunset.

Makers include:

Jewellery by Roslyn Ashcroft, Bronwen Gwillim, Gilly Langton & Ruth Praill

Ceramics by Molly Attrill, Helen Beard, Kirsti Hannah Brown, Rachel Peters, Vivienne Ross & Anna Silverton

Textiles by Eve Campbell, Jessica Geach & RubyKite

Glass by Jane Charles, Loco Glass & Shakspeare Glass

Leather by Janine Partington

Wood by Jane Crisp

Exhibition Opening

Join the the team and some of the featured makers for a special opening event on Thursday 20 June 2024, from 5.30pm – 7pm. Refreshments will be served and Friends of the Bdc will receive a 10% discount on all purchases during the evening.

A curated selection of work will be available through our online shop.

In the Window – Leoma Drew and V...

For Bluecoat Display Centre’s 2023 Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair Showcase Award they are delighted to feature the work of jeweller Leoma Drew alongside ceramicist Vallari Harshwal.

Leoma’s jewellery practice explores memory and nostalgia, leading her to abstract emotional journeys through creating motifs, which became a cryptic symbology to depict personal events within her life. As Leoma’s work progressed and developed the butterfly became a predominant symbol that kept presenting itself, and is now part of her signature style.

Vallari is drawn towards the unexplored aspect of clay and its processes, and leans toward being non-conformist in her visual aesthetics. Handcrafting timeless, simple objects which stand the test of time brings her joy. Vallari’s work is an essence of her Indian heritage, juxtaposed with her life in England.

Opening hours:10-5.30pm Monday – Saturday and 12pm-5pm  on Sundays.

Queen by Magnus Hastings

Known for his internationally-recognised work with drag performers and the LGBTQ+ community, Magnus Hastings has photographed a who’s-who of drag superstars throughout his career as well created numerous icon images of well-known famous faces from Todrick Hall and Boy George, to Luke Evans and Cheyenne Jackson.

In his exhibition at Walker Art Gallery, titled ‘Queen’, Hastings displays a curated selection of his most famous photographs, including portraits of renowned drag queens Bianca del Rio, Courtney Act, and Trixie Mattel. Alongside these iconic images, the exhibition features newly commissioned, never-before-seen photographs spotlighting dozens of Liverpool’s own legendary drag artists, shot in the city’s famous Pride Quarter.

Originally from London, Hastings has gained widespread recognition through his distinctive style that combines bold colour palettes with a keen eye for capturing the essence of his subjects. ‘Queen’, a unique collaboration between Magnus Hastings and National Museums Liverpool, stands as a vibrant testament to the individual artistry of drag and the collective spirit of pride. Liverpool’s world-renowned drag scene serves as both a haven and a stage for numerous outstanding performers who live, work, and slay in the city.

From iconic local artists like Lily Savage to more recent stars like Danny Beard, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season four, the city boasts a rich drag history shaped by these queens. In ‘Queen’, Hastings turns the camera on some of the city’s local drag superstars, showcasing their unique looks in a series of photographs that capture the vivacity and individuality embodying the city’s drag scene.

In addition to these original images, a series of Hastings’ most iconic photographs from throughout his career are featured, including those from his book ‘Rainbow Revolution’, which showcases figures from across the LGBTQ+ community, creatively envisioning the space inside an empty white box. Hastings’ work evokes the essence of drag in an intimate, multi-layered portrait, presenting these performers and their art in a rarely seen way. His self-taught, spontaneous approach captures the irreverent spirit and fierce glamour of drag culture.

The exhibition features a royal court of drag excellences, with international queens featured including Adore Delano, Alaska, Bob the Drag Queen, Gottmik, Jaida Essence Hall, Jinkx Monsoon, Katya, Raja, Sasha Velour, Violet Chachki, and many more. Among the local drag artists photographed for ‘Queen’ are Danny Beard, Sister Sister, Brenda LaBeau, Naya Thorn, and Violet Pain, alongside a host of other Merseyside performers.

R.I.P. Germain

In “After GOD, Dudus Comes Next!”, R.I.P. Germain explores the concept of ‘false fronts’: spaces that look like one thing, but function as something else, or otherwise occlude some of their operations from general access.

The gallery presents a street facade with three such establishments, that each reveal or conceal their purpose to varying degrees, depending on who you are. Inside each space are hundreds of visible and hidden objects that may or may not hold significance for us; to understand their meaning relies on our own background and understanding of the world. They act as clues and codes – perhaps evoking a reaction, or not resonating at all.

Through architecting these spaces, the artist examines how exclusionary structures shape alternative spaces and behaviours, shedding light on how those who feel the need to create support networks do so when official resources are inaccessible, and how illegal activity quite literally fills gaps in the fabric of our cities.

Everyone is Moving – Your Journeys, ...

Open Eye Gallery and Liverpool Architecture Festival 2024 have partnered to facilitate a free-to-enter photography competition and exhibition.

Photographers of all abilities and backgrounds entered the free competition to interpret ‘Everyone is Moving – Your Journeys, Your Neighbourhoods’ using any medium from mobile phone cameras to DSLR and film, to capture the unique character of the diverse neighbourhoods of the Liverpool City Region, focusing on architecture and the built environment.

The overall winner was Sam Jones with the photographic project titled ‘The Streets of Liverpool’.

Everyman and Liverpool John Moore’s ...

As part of the Everyman’s 60th Year Celebrations, and working in partnership with Liverpool John Moore’s University, a free exhibition showcasing Alan Dossor’s time as Artistic Director runs at the Hope Street theatre from 3rd to 8th June.

Arriving at the Everyman in 1970 at the age of 28, Alan Dossor ushered in what many have called a ‘golden age’, attracting companies of actors who went on to become household names, developing a pool of local writers, and creating a distinctive Everyman style.  In his five-year tenure, actors including Bernard Hill, Matthew Kelly, Bill Nighy, Roger Phillips, Pete Postlethwaite, Jonathan Pryce, Anthony Sher, Alison Steadman and Julie Walters, and writers such as Alan Bleasdale, Chris Bond, John McGrath, and Willy Russell, were all given their ‘start’ at the Everyman thanks to ‘Dossor’ as he was affectionately named.

Working with Lucy Dossor, Alan’s daughter, the exhibition explores the key elements of Dossor’s approach and includes reproductions of photographs and posters from the Everyman’s archive, held at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). As Mark Da Vanzo, the theatres’ CEO explains:

“Celebrating the 60th year at the Everyman could not pass by without taking a moment to reflect and celebrate Alan’s extraordinary legacy. His informal, adventurous and popular style, combining new work and reimagined classics, and giving actors and writers a chance to experiment and learn their craft, is still very much at the heart of our ethos today. We’re grateful to partner with LJMU who hold the Everyman’s archive and are pleased to not just share this exhibition now but also a long-term reminder of this remarkable man with the installation of a plaque on the wall as you go into the theatre. His daughter Lucy has chosen a perfect quote from her father: ‘Theatre won’t change the world, but the people watching it just might’. We’ll endeavor to honour this as we continue to nurture new talent and tell stories that matter, long into the future”.

Speaking about the exhibition and the plaque, Lucy Dossor said:

“Dad didn’t want a gravestone (when he died in 2016), so he might not approve of the sign we’ve put up. But he’s dead, so it’s not up to him.  I believe his drive to create theatre is summed up in the quote we chose. It’s hidden away in a far corner, you won’t come across it in passing, you must make a trip. People talk about Alan’s time as a ‘golden age’, but he would have said, tear it up, it’s bullshit, it’s the past, move on, do now. This is why the sign is hidden. He disrespected idolatry, celebrity, reverence. He has no grave, so the sign is a little place with his name on, and a message from him to everyone. Everyman. Feel free to destroy and make something better. But there must be laughs…” 

Susannah Waters, LJMU Library’s Head of Academic Services said:

“This exhibition showcases some of the wonderful material in the Everyman’s archive alongside text by LJMU’s Dr Ros Merkin. We hope the photographs and posters on display will prompt fond memories for some visitors and inspire others to find out more about the archive. It’s been fantastic working with the Everyman and Lucy on this project and we’re looking forward to further collaboration later this year.”

A Celebration of Alan Dossor is part of the Everyman’s 60th Birthday Year – Everyone Starts Somewhere – highlighting the importance of regional theatres such as the Everyman in the ecosystem, not just for theatre but also the film and tv industry around the world. The aim is to raise £60,000 across the next 12 months towards talent development, supporting the award-winning Young Everyman Playhouse and bringing new diverse voices to the stages. At the Everyman Theatre on Hope Street, the exhibition runs from Monday 3rd to Saturday 8th June and is open from 11am to 3pm.

A further exhibition celebrating 60 years of the Everyman will be held at LJMU’s Aldham Robarts Library between 19th August to 13th December 2024.

For more information on the Everyman’s 60th celebrations, visit: https://www.everymanplayhouse.com/everyone-starts-somewhere

To find out more about the Everyman archive, visit: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/microsites/library/special-collections-and-archives/liverpool-theatre-and-writing/everyman-theatre-archive

 

A Window to your Neighbourhood

dot-art and Liverpool Architecture Festival 2024 (LAF24) have worked in partnership to produce this exhibition featuring local creatives. Artists of all abilities entered a free competition to show us ‘A Window to your Neighbourhood’.

dot-art as an arts organisation works with artists, communities, and businesses across Liverpool City Region. The dot-art Gallery was the ideal place for LAF 24 to host an exhibition exploring the architectural and place making elements of Liverpool’s neighbourhoods through artistic interpretation. The selection panel consisted of Kuda Mushangi (Architect, Artist & former LAF Committee Member) Lucy Byrne & Claire Henderson (Managing Director and Gallery Manager, dot-art). Mathew Giles (Director of Liverpool Architecture Festival) mediated the panel and provided prompts for the selection criteria based on artistic technique, displays of community and areas of historical significance and architectural interest.

From this process the panel selected 15 artists from the entries to exhibit their submitted pieces for the nearly 3-month long exhibition; out of which, and with much deliberation, the judging panel nominated an overall winner and three runners up. The overall winner is Simon Ward with ‘Portrait of Dr Sam Naghibi’. The runners up in no particular order are Neale Thomas with ‘Bootle Gasworks’, Gill Cowley with ‘Quarry Green Club’ and Martin Jones with ‘Ghosts’. The winner will receive a £500 voucher for art supplies as well as a year free as a dot-art Arist Member. The runners up will each received £100 voucher for art supplies and a year free as a dot-art Artist Member. The exhibition celebrates selected winners and all who have entered. They encourage their visitors to pick their winning works and share pictures across socials and tag @dotartliverpool and @laf_uk.

The range of artists in this exhibition specialise in a variety of media, from print to digital collage and more. They asked the artists, and now put the following questions to you as visitors to the exhibition: What does your neighbourhood mean to you? How is it framed within your day-to-day life? What local buildings, monuments, or built objects hold memories or stories? What hidden architectural gems does your local area hold?

‘A Window to Your Neighbourhood’ intentionally shifts the lens away from Liverpool’s iconic city centre architecture to the neighbourhoods where our small businesses thrive, communities grow, and resilience is built. Take a walk-through unfamiliar areas or down memory lanes. What do you remember from your locality? What’s still there? The exhibiting artworks, although many are devoid of people, exemplify through the industrial relics, social clubs, and shop fronts, that it is people that make places.

All artworks are for sale.

Join them for the Private View of the exhibition on Thursday 6th June from 5pm-7pm.

All welcome, but please register here:

dot-artxLAF24Neighbourhood.eventbrite.co.uk

The dot-art Gallery can be found at 14 Queen Avenue, Castle Street, Liverpool, L2 4TX (just 5 minutes’ walk from Liverpool One).

Opening times: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am-6pm

The exhibition runs 7th June – 17th August 2024.