Art & Culture

New portraits of local Holocaust survivors to go on display at Manchester’s Imperial War Museum

'Generations: Portraits of Holocaust Survivors' will open to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2023.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 16th January 2023

Never-before-seen portraits of local Holocaust survivors are to go on display at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) North in Manchester later this month.

The new photography exhibition is set to open and mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2023.

Following its successful inaugural run at IWM London back in 2021, the exhibition – which is titled Generations: Portraits of Holocaust Survivors – features 60 contemporary portraits of
Holocaust survivors and their families, alongside four new photographs taken by The Royal Photographic Society (RPS) President and Chair of Trustees, Simon Hill.

Set to open at the IWM North on Friday 27 January, and run right through until the summer, the exhibition showcases works from 13 different contemporary photographers.

This collection of powerful photographs are said to capture the special connections between Holocaust survivors and the younger generations of their families, while also shining a light on the full lives that they lived in a bid to ensure their stories live on forever.

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New portraits of local Holocaust survivors to go on display at Manchester’s Imperial War Museum / Credit: IWM

IWM say the photographs in this exhibition present a group of survivors who made the UK their home after beginnings marked by “unimaginable loss and trauma”.

Generations: Portraits of Holocaust Survivors will set out to remind visitors of the Trafford-based museum’s collective responsibility to remember and share stories about those who endured conflict and persecution.

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“Portrait photography can be one of the most difficult or one of the easiest genres in which to work,” explained Simon Hill – President of the Royal Photographic Society.

“So much depends on the relationship that is formed, often in an instant, between the subject and photographer, and it has been an immense privilege to meet each of these camp survivors and refugees and to explore with them their unique stories.

The new photography exhibition is set to open and mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 / Credit: IWM

“All portrait photographs invite a three-way dialogue – between the subject, the photographer and the viewer.

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“I hope that my portraits of these amazing people, pictured with members of their family, will help to encourage a dialogue, with a wider audience, that will ensure their personal stories are never forgotten and subsequent generations can celebrate their incredible perseverance in the face of unimaginable horror and suffering.”

James Bulgin – Content Leader of IWM’s Holocaust Galleries – added that these remarkable
images of survivors and the generations that followed them are “a powerful and important
reminder of the catastrophic destruction of the Holocaust”.

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Generations: Portraits of Holocaust Survivors is a free exhibition opening at IWM North on Friday 27
January 2023 and running until summer 2023.

Featured Image – IWM

Art & Culture

Corn Exchange has a cute new vending machine strictly for pre-loved books

Danny Jones Danny Jones Corn Exchange book vending machine

Every now and again we stumble across a clever little idea and we think ‘why hasn’t someone thought of this idea before?’ That was definitely the case when heard about Corn Exchange’s new vending machine for books.

Having appeared in the popular city centre food hall and trader spot only earlier this week, most people might be unaware of the Corn Exchange‘s fun new initiative and some people might have walked straight past it without noticing what’s actually in it — yet another reason we love stuff like this.

The concept is called ‘Read. Swap. Repeat.’ and the idea is to not only keep people reading when they come into the city or are perhaps staying here in the likes of the Corn Exchange, but also to provide a home for pre-loved books with an added incentive.

See for yourself.

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It’s a great little idea, isn’t it? You even get a free bookmark for your trouble.

As you can see, all you need to use the vending machine is to bring a book with you, ask a member of staff for a token and then select which generously donated second-hand read you want to select for yourself.

Beyond just being a cool and interesting way to entertain local book lovers and hopefully get more people reading again, it’s also good for the environment as it provides yet another outlet for people to donate their old texts without any waste.

So, if you’re looking for a new read or looking to share one of your favourite old books with someone else, why not give it a try?

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Featured Image — Corn Exchange/The Manc Group

Art & Culture

Manchester to be filled with fresh blooms as annual Flower Festival returns this summer

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Manchester is set to become one of the most picturesque places in the UK this summer, as the city gets dressed up in celebration of the annual Flower Show.

Back by popular demand for its fifth year, the four-day festival – which is often dubbed the “most Instagramable event of the year” – will see Manchester bloom to life and be draped from head to toe in magnificent floral displays.

Plants and flowers will be seen covering landmark buildings, shop windows, doorways, balconies, statues, fountains, and more right across the city centre.

Taking place over the late May bank holiday, festival organisers say to expect a “fabulous floral spectacle” – with a dedicated ‘Manchester in Flowers’ floral trail gearing up to be the star of this year’s show, and several other stunning show gardens and green installations all set to weave through central streets.

Manchester to be filled with fresh blooms as annual Flower Festival returns this summer / Credit: The Manc Group

Organised annually by Manchester BID, the festival usually sees tens of thousands of people flock to the city centre – and this year will be no different.

Visitors can also expect al fresco dining, live music, and a wide range of family entertainment too.

With the event now only a few months away, festival organisers are on the hunt for budding and professional gardeners, florists, landscapers, businesses, charities, community groups, and schools across the region to be part of the celebrations.

Manchester Flower Festival is known for offering both seasoned and aspiring gardeners the chance to showcase their talent, while helping to create “a unique floriated experience across the city” – with opportunities open this year to lend a hand with large-scale headline gardens and displays, floristry displays, and smaller ‘Bijou’ gardens.

The annual event gives both seasoned and aspiring gardeners the chance to showcase their talents / Credit: Manchester BID

Local traders can also sign-up to sell the Festival Market, which will feature everything from plants, and produce, to garden decor, street food, art, and so much more.

Businesses in the city centre are also being encouraged to show their support for the festival by creating window, building, or in-store displays, and hosting dedicated events, and food and drinks specials.

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Volunteers are also needed to help at this year’s event, with festival organisers promising the chance to “gain valuable experience” and enjoy being part of the team at one of the city’s annual flagship events.

Find out more about Manchester Flower Festival 2023 here.

Featured Image – ManchesterBID

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