Manchester Art Gallery

Date: Aug 17, 2007 (Friday)
Address: Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3JL, England
Website: http://www.manchestergalleries.org/
Fee: Free

Manchester Art Gallery is a free-to-view municipally-owned public art gallery at Manchester City Centre in the North West of England. Their collection is made up of fine art and decorative art from ancient pottery to 21st century furniture.

As Manchester was at the heart of the industrial revolution transforming fashion, generating power, developing transport and instigating radical social and political reform, visiting this beautiful gallery could provide a genuine overview of the local lifestyle to foreigners who are not familiar with their background and history.

The Piccadilly Gardens (1954) by Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887- 1976) is one of the impressive art works. The color tone of oil on canvas is mainly blue and grey which could show the social atmosphere as the urban area were laid out after the Second World War following heavy bombing. The Mancunians walked their dogs, hung out near the water fountain and buses were popular transportation at that time.

Comparing to the Piccadilly Gardens nowadays upon my on-site observation, it has become more international with modern favor. There are more non-native English to use the gardens, local musicians love to play variety styles of music and policemen are on guard in case of the emergency or terrorist attack. Although the architecture remains the same with new recreational facilities, I could still imagine how the local English gentleman in black woven suit passing by the gardens with a cigar in his mouth and a fresh printed newspaper under his arm in the early morning, a middle age woman in her dark blue collar uniform carried the daily grocery after work and a young couple enjoyed the moonlight fifty years ago.

On the other hand, the Gallery is actively promoting art and attracting new audiences to appreciate arts. Their staffs bring in new collections; host regular art workshops, expert seminar and temporary exhibition. Beside, its award winning café has attracted non-art lovers to have meal in the museum. As a Hong Kong art lover, I am amazed with the way English appreciate arts and treat the collection in professional manner.

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Art_Gallery
http://www.manchestergalleries.org
http://www.visitmanchester.com/