Following several months of speculation, organisers behind touring exhibit The Art of Banksy have announced it will open at MediaCity this October.
Previously, reports had speculated that the exhibit would appear at First Street inside a purpose-built exhibition space, but now it appears the art show is heading to an entirely different location altogether.
Landing in Manchester on 21 October 2022, the exhibit will showcase 145 iconic Banksy pieces all amassed from private collections across the globe to create the world’s largest touring collection of Banksy artworks.
Having travelled to Melbourne, Chicago, San Francisco, Sydney, Washington DC, Boston, Tel Aviv, Auckland, Toronto, Miami, Gothenburg and London, The Art of Banksy will soon arrive in the north of England.
Visitors will have the chance to experience the infamous artist’s most well-known works alongside those rarely seen by the public, all on loan from private collectors.
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
The Art of Banksy, presented in association with Manchester theatre HOME, will feature a vast number authenticated Banksy works ranging from prints, canvases, limited-edition pieces, unique works and fascinating ephemera.
It represents a rare opportunity to see an overview of Banksy’s work from 2002 to 2017 in a purpose-built 1,200 square metre temporary structure in the heart of MediaCity, offering visitors the chance to view the artist’s work in a way not possible on the street or in any museum or gallery.
Visitors can see the iconic artworks that brought the anonymous artist international acclaim, including Girl With Balloon (2002) in three different colour variations, Flower Thrower (2003), Rude Copper (2002), and Brace Yourself (2010) – a work which made headlines when Banksy gifted the painting to the band formerly known as ‘Exit Through the Gift Shop’ in exchange for the rights to their name.
A recent poll ranked Girl with Balloon as the United Kingdom’s favourite piece of artwork while Time Magazine has previously included Banksy in its list of the world’s 100 most influential people alongside Barack Obama, Stella McCartney and Steve Jobs.
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
The iconoclastic artist’s history of pranks has also contributed to this reputation; they have performed powerful statement acts such as the secret installation of a shredder into Girl With Balloon to make the work self-destruct just moments after it was sold at auction for nearly $1.4 million 2018, transforming the work into Love in the Bin.
The Art of Banksy is an exhibition for all ages – an unmissable show for culture lovers and indeed anyone who wants to learn more about the artist and what their work reveals today; the power of art to affect social change, inspire the public and lay bare the undercurrents of social issues with understated wit.
Please note that the exhibition is not curated or authorized by Banksy. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased via the website here.
Feature image – Supplied
What's On
A giant robotic snail is sliming its way into Manchester city centre this weekend
Emily Sergeant
If you find yourself in Manchester city centre this weekend, then keep your eyes peeled for a big robotic snail.
It’s not a sentence you hear every day, but this weekend and this weekend alone, a ‘breathtaking’ giant robotic snail will be sliming its way into the heart of Manchester city centre as part of Manchester Museum‘s plan to bring free family fun to the masses this summer.
Luma, a nine-metre-long inflatable, robotic snail – who has been brought to life by creative robotics studio, Air Giants, who are also responsible for the giant cat currently sleeping in the Museum’s Exhibition Hall – will be leaving the four walls of the Oxford Road-based Museum and heading down to St Ann’s Square.
St Ann’s Square’s newest visitor is part of the Museum’s free family programme centred around their The Cat That Slept for a Thousand Years exhibition.
Luma’s visit will give Mancs the unique chance to have fun with this otherworldly being.
Like the sleepy cat, Luma the snail uses air flow to move around, and draws inspiration from the extraordinary range of flexing and contorting motion that’s found in bio-mechanics to create ‘beautiful’ movement.
Part artwork, part a feat of engineering, Luma has a gentle, welcoming and otherworldly presence, and invites members of the public to get up close, responding to their movement and touch in the process.
A giant robotic snail is sliming its way into Manchester city centre this weekend / Credit: Supplied
“Luma is a joyful and hopeful work which champions both nature and technology, and reimagines what robots can be for,” Manchester Museum said in a statement.
Luma the snail will perform in St Ann’s Square this weekend on both Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 August from 10am-4pm.
It’s a free experience that’s open to everyone of all ages.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
Cult favourite clothing brand Clints has dropped the lineup for the first-ever music festival
Danny Jones
Popular Manchester street and footwear brand, Clints Inc., has now revealed the lineup for its first-ever music and culture festival to mark five whole years in fashion – and it’s looking big.
The highly sought-after clothing and sneaker make started out from a bedroom in Moston and is now a premium label in British urban, skating, UK grime and hip-hop culture, having been worn by many famous names and welcoming even more through the door of their Deansgate shop.
Located in the ABC Buildings on Quay Street next to Spinningfields, the flagship Clints store opened back in 2022 and is much more than a place to buy some new drip: it’s a place that showcases art, music, and a whole sub-sect of shopping beyond just skate silhouettes and trendy trainers.
As hack as it might sound to some, wearing this brand comes along with immersing yourself in the wider style and scene; the very same scene being celebrated in tandem with their fifth birthday.
Up until recently, details were still scarce, but now the debut Clints Fest lineup has dropped, and there are some big names on board.
Set to take place at Barton Aerodrome, a.k.a. City Airport, over in Eccles, the live performers confirmed for 2025 span multiple genres, spotlighting both music veterans and up-and-coming artists from all over.
Legendary DJ, producer and MC Mike Skinner – most famously for his music with The Streets – tops the bill, alongside Tottenham-born rapper and grime artist, Chip (formerly known as ‘Chipmunk’).
There’s plenty of local love on show too, with Manc R’n’B, jazz and soul singer, Victoria Jane, also set to perform, among many other acts from around the region and beyond.
Other names include the equally soulful hip-hop and rap star, Kofi Stone, New Zealand actor and solo artist, Sammy V, as well as plenty more.
On the launch of the event, Founder Junior Clint said: “We’ve built Clints on the back of our supporters embracing the DIY spirit. This festival is the ultimate expression of that ethos. Housing both music legends with upcoming artists is our ambition with Clint Fest, and we can’t wait to deliver it.”
Clints Fest (the inaugural one, at that) will take place on Saturday, 6 September, over in the Salford suburb of Barton-upon-Irwell, kicking off from 12pm and wrapping up around 10:30pm.
You can expect the festival to be packed to the rafters with die-hard followers of all things Clints and streetwear; here’s hoping this is just the first of many.
While the pre-sale and the first phase window for early access have both fully sold out, the second phase has now gone live, with general admission tickets available from £45.
The Manc -
15th September 2022 
