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Whitworth Art Gallery – A Hidden Treasure Trove of Surprising Conversation Pieces
A smug smart arse once said that: "Entertainment and art are not isolated. Entertainment is in art like colour in pictures." It's doubtful that many students would agree with this; give them the choice between 'Trisha' and the Whitworth Art Gallery, the big mouthed queen of trash TV would win hands down. Who wants to look at dusty old paintings when you can watch West Country inbreeds scream at each other?
And after 'Trisha' comes the inimitable 'This Morning'. Can't miss that. But what if you don't like the look of the shows line up, or the lovely Phil 'n' Fern have a day off, and the charisma devoid stand ins make you feel queasy? Then what do you do? Well, you could spend the morning in the pulsing hub of Manchester's student life, Oxford Road. And there you will find, nestled amongst the take aways and second hand shops, Whitworth Art Gallery. It's free to get in, so why not?
Ok, so it might seem like a bad primary school day out, but it's only a small building, a quick glance at everything and you'll be done in half an hour. And in that time, you'll probably shock your self at how opinionated you are about art. David Morris, a curator at the gallery, says: "I see lots of people come in, especially if it's raining, and half heartedly look at a few things while they wait for the rain to stop. Then, five minutes later, they begin to look a bit more interested, and if there's a group of them, there's lots of heated discussion about what is and isn't good. Then they walk out later on, chatting about how they never thought to come and have a look in, but how much they enjoyed it.
There are two types of art gallery to be found in the 24 hour cosmopolitan city we call home. There are places like Tmesis, found in a Deansgate basement, which are so painfully aware of how cool they are, that the art on display almost seems to have been put there as an afterthought. Squishy leather couches, the right bar menu and getting enough rich bohemians in seems far more important.
The Whitworth is definitely an 'old school' type of gallery. You can even buy bendy pencils in the gift shop. The works on display are placed specifically to allow them to get the best amount of light to show them off to full effect, and a low library like hum hangs in the air as people talk in whispers.
On the surface this may sound dull, why would students be interested in going to a place like that?
"Too many people think appreciating art is snobby, art is a waste of time," says David. "But it's not. Art is subject to your own opinion. It's a really good way to get to know someone as well. You'll find things out about your friends that you never knew, like they're scared of clowns or whatever. It's an interesting thing to talk about as well, what paintings you've seen by famous artists. People are generally quite impressed by someone who knows a bit about art. "
People also have interesting conversations in galleries. During a recent trip round the Whitworth, me and two friends wittered on about things we would never talk about, like gay sex during world war one, our favorite Captain Pugwash character, and whether we would rather join the army or navy. If quirky conversations with your friends doesn’t sell the idea to you, just remember that a lot of old paintings are just the medieval equivalent of porn, so you can stare at women’s naughty bits all you want and get away with it.
A cleaner lets out a cackle that gives away her life long 40-a-day B&H habit, and tells me about how a couple were once so inspired by a piece, that they rushed off to have sex in the toilets. Not the sort of thing you'd expect from a place frequented by little old ladies. "This place looks so prim and proper, and people talk quietly, but I hear what they're talking about. There's quite a few paintings that make people think of sex. Because I'm just the cleaner they don't pay any attention to me. It's worthwhile coming in just to listen to people talking. I love it!"
You could also meet the future love of your life. A few years ago, a man overheard a woman talking about the painting of the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, by Ford Madox Brown. They strongly disagreed about what they thought of the painting, but liked each other enough to arrange a date. A few years later, he proposed to her by the painting. Not the sort of thing that happens to people who hang around kebab shops.
David chuckles as he says: "You might not see a painting you like, but something else might catch your eye!"
Admittedly, not everything is interesting. But there's a wide range of collections, from traditional paintings, to textiles and modern sculptures, as well as regularly changing exhibitions, so the chances are you'll see something you like. There are even some nice hats to try on in the entrance, and you can admire your reflection in the most flattering mirror in Manchester. For me, it was worth going just to see my lovely tall and slim reflection.
Some exhibitions, like 'Truce' by Shirley Diamond, might look like a baffling waste of time at first glance. But just a few moments of thought about it and, like one of those optical illusion pictures, an opinion will begin to form, and you'll be telling your mates about how it represents the drudgery of suburban life. Possibly.
You don't have to be an authority on art to enjoy a gallery. The general consensus amongst students is "I know nowt about it." But you don't need knowledge, just opinions, and students have them in abundance. The most popular exhibit in the gallery is 'Phobia' by Martin McGinn, but nobody knows what it is or what it's about. But David says that particular painting draws people back to the galley time and again.
The Whitworth can be found near Whitworth Park, opposite St Mary's Hospital. It's open from 10-5 Monday-Saturday, and 2-5 on Sunday. Free Admission.
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