Much-loved Manc artist Stanley Chow is hosting an exclusive exhibition of his iconic portraits and illustrations of famous faces at a Greater Manchester arts institution.
Stanley Chow, best known for his geometric art that has become a contemporary and instantly recognisable style all of its own, is probably one of the most notable British artists around right now and it goes without saying that he’s a favourite of ours too.
So when we heard that he was displaying an exhibition of some of his most famous works — quite literally, in this case — over in Chorlton, we didn’t hesitate to share the news.
Showcasing illustrations and his trademark minimalist, vector-based portraits at none other than The Edge Theatre and Arts Centre on Manchester Road, some of Stan’s most notable designs will be on show, spotlighting familiar faces and household names from the stage and screen.
The special exhibition in Chorlton will run from Thursday, 15 February to Thursday, 30 May and is built around Chow’s personally curated collection of actors from the stage, film and television.
Including takes on several BAFTA, Emmy, Olivier and Oscar winners, the exhibit will also feature the three patrons of The Edge: Sir Mark Rylance, Julie Hesmondhalgh and John Thomson.
Having been in the business for more than 30 years now, Stan has been involved in many areas within design and illustration, even being
” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener nofollow”>involved with Manchester United’s latest kit launch and player unveilings, but he is undoubtedly best known for his distinctive portraiture of pop stars, actors, sports personalities and more celebrities.
So it’s a good job that’s what’ll be on show at The Edge, isn’t it?
KesX-FilesDorothy in The Wizard of the OzStanley Chow has a permanent exhibition at Hotel Football but this is the first (Credit: Stanley Chow/supplied)
This will be the first time Stan has focused his attention specifically on a collection round stage and screen, stating: “I had a lot of fun looking through my back catalogue to find the images that would work in the lovely space offered to me at The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre and it’ll be the first time my design of Sir Mark Rylance will be shown in public.”
As for the theatre itself, Artistic Director Janine Waters said, “We are thrilled to have such a local legend bringing his work to The Edge, and this exhibition promises to be a very special one.
“We are particularly excited to see Stan’s unique take on our patrons, alongside some other familiar faces. It is a privilege to have his work on show in our building in the heart of Chorlton.”
While tickets for the exclusive opening night preview have now sold out, you can go along to see tickets to see the exhibition from mid-March until the end of May. To hear more about why The Edge has become such a cultural site over the past decade, you can hear Rylance waxing lyrical about it here:
Featured Images — Supplied/Stanley Chow (via Instagram)
Art & Culture
New free app launches to help people find the best nature spots in and around Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A new free app has launched to help people find, discover, and visit nature on their doorstep.
Wildling is aiming to be a simple one-step solution to the growing mental health crisis and the urgent need to care for the natural world.
By helping people visit nature more easily, and giving them tools to truly connect with it at this same time, Wildling is well on its way to supporting personal wellbeing and the joy of easily discovering nature across the UK, all while nurturing a sense of care and action for the planet.
Supported by partners including the RSPB, Marine Conservation Society ,and Forestry England, and backed by advisors and environmentalists like Ben Goldsmith, Eden Project founder Tim Smit, and Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden, the new app brings the UK’s wild spaces and hidden green spots together in one place.
A new free app has launched to help people find the best nature spots in Manchester / Credit: Kitera Dent | Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
Featuring more than 1,500 locations across the country, from coastlines and woodlands, to nature reserves, the app also includes a wide range of tips to help you make your time in nature easier, more enjoyable, and more meaningful.
The app has been created with the input of research carried out by the University of Derby, based on responses from more than 68,000 adults across England over two years.
The study found that people who spend time in nature every day report up to 22% greater life satisfaction, 17% higher happiness, and an average uplift of around 19% in overall wellbeing, compared to those who rarely go out.
Regular time in nature was also found to have a ‘striking’ effect on pro-environmental behaviour too, according to the survey.
Wildling was created by impact entrepreneur Ant Rawlins who wanted to make accessing nature ‘easier’ for everyone.
“We wanted to give people the tools to engage with nature by making it genuinely easy to visit, by showing them nearby nature places and giving them everything they need to make it happen,” says Ant Rawlins commented.
Wildling connects Mancs to the outside world and all it has to offer / Credit: Sol Stock (Supplied)
Ant said the study shows that spending more time in nature just a nice idea, it makes you happier, increases your satisfaction with life, lifts your overall wellbeing, and encourages you to look after the world around you.
“That’s exactly why Wildling was created,” he concluded.
The Wildling app is available now to download for free through the App Store and Google Play, and you can find out more here.
Featured Image – Shironosov (Supplied)
Art & Culture
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.
Danny Jones -
31st January 2024 
