art from friends...nina chua, narrow interlock, 2014. steve mcqueen, ashes, 2002-2015. video still....

newsletter of the friends of the whitworth, university of manchester | issue 42 | autumn 2016 | www.friendsofthewhitworth.org.uk

An insight into creating an exhibition,full story, page 2

Art from Friends

Cover: The Sleeping Shepherd, 1831-32, Samuel Palmer.

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Frank Auerbach, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, Edward Bawden, EdwardBurne-Jones, John Constable, John RobertCozens, John Flaxman, David Hockney,Paul Hogarth, Thomas Jones, L.S. Lowry,Samuel Palmer, Eduardo Paolozzi, JohnPiper, Stanley Spencer, GrahamSutherland, Keith Vaughan, RichardWilson, Christopher Wood, Lucian Freud,Paul Nash, Walter Sickert, ThomasGirtin, Edward Lear, Howard Hodgkin,John Davies, Pablo Picasso, CamillePissarro, Paula Rego……..could go on andon. The Friends have contributed to thepurchase of work by these artists andmany more.

We have also supported the purchase ofsuperb, beautiful textiles, stunningsculpture and wallpaper which showsthe story of our lives.

Here Sue Dawson tells the story.

The opportunity to organise anexhibition was very exciting for Friendsof the Whitworth. Deciding what toexhibit and the theme, left many of usscratching our heads. After severalmeetings we plumped for the aim toshow the long relationship between theGallery and the Friends by exhibiting therange of art works bought by orbequeathed to the Friends since 1933,our first year of existence. This created avery long list!

The Collections Centre was created tomake the thousands of works held bythe Whitworth more accessible to thepublic and the Friends funded much ofits fittings. One of the ways it does this isto have short term exhibitions puttogether by groups who don't normallycurate exhibitions, so providing adifferent 'insight' into the Collection aswell as giving a tremendous opportunityof working with the gallery first handand finding out what is involved increating an exhibition. So far, exhibitionshave been put together by older men ina care home, by a band and by a student– now it is the Friends' turn.

We have selected, with the help of MaryGriffiths, Senior Curator (Modern andContemporary Art) works that have arange of art forms, a range of age, arange of date the works were acquiredor bequeathed to the Friends of theWhitworth and a gender spread of artist– there are fewer women artists thanmen as you would expect of these olderworks.

A shortlist of 50 or so paintings,drawings, sculptures, textiles and paperswas drawn up and then run past thegallery so that they could check thepracticality or otherwise of these fordisplay. Works were rejected on thegrounds of being too big, already on

display or recently on display and toensure variety.

We all had our favourites and it wasstimulating sharing ideas and leafingthrough records to find things that hadbeen forgotten for a time. This broughtup many stories about past actions,some of which were on the lines of'being in the right place at the right time'and others where the Friends sought tochallenge and be at the forefront ofcontemporary art thinking.

This then led us on to thinking aboutlabelling works and how to make thedisplay more interesting than simplylisting the artist and date made. We haveput together longer descriptions of howthe work was selected and bought orbequeathed and others about personalinterpretations of our favourite works.We hope you enjoy these. Other thingsin display cases are historic itemsrelating to the Friends and textiles andwallpapers.

We wanted to show how the Friendsdeveloped over time and the importantwork of Margaret Pilkington as well ashow the Friends work now with thegallery by showing works acquired asrecently as 2016!

What we really want to do is to enticeyou to come along and view theexhibition and more importantly bringyour friends and relatives. There areplenty of membership leaflets, eventinformation and handouts. Please give usyour comments and suggestions – theexhibition runs all through Christmasand New Year and until 8 January 2017 sothere is plenty of time.

Happy viewing! Read more oppositeabout some work from Friends. TheSleeping Shepherd on front cover is awell-loved work in the show.

Art from FriendsSue Dawson gives her ‘insight’ on the Friends’ show inthe Collections Centre or How to Learn Quickly is heralternative description.

For contact and membership information, please visit: www.friendsofthewhitworth.org.uk2

newsletter of the friends of the whitworth | issue 42 | autumn 2016


By his own admission, Steve McQueen,probably best known as director offeature length films, such as the Oscarwinning, 12 Years a Slave, turned tovideo as an art student because itallowed him to tell a story. No surprise,therefore, that McQueen’s Ashes, thevideo recently acquired by theWhitworth, both tells a story and alsocame about because of another story.The two narratives are intertwined.

Working on the Caribbean island ofGrenada in 2002, McQueen, intriguedby his vivacity, filmed a young man,Ashes, sitting on the prow of a smallboat as it sped towards a seeminglyendless horizon. Returning to the islandsometime later, McQueen discoveredthat Ashes was dead, shot in front of hisfriends by a gang who wanted to steal acache of drugs that Ashes haddiscovered hidden on the beach. Hewas buried in an unmarked grave.McQueen decided to use the previouslyunused footage of Ashes to create amemorial to him both on screen and in reality.

Ashes is a compilation of a number ofelements: the earlier film of the youngman, the endless possibilities of whoselife seemed to be encapsulated in thesunlit future to which he was sailing, anaccount of his murder by two friendswho were witnesses to it and whosevoices have been jarringlysuperimposed over the earlier film, andimages of the painstaking constructionof a simple gravestone. Like all greatworks, though, this one transcends the

specificity of its context. In Asheshimself, we are offered a figure whostands for many wasted lives, lost topremature and avoidable death fromdrugs, Aids, shooting. The film as awhole invites us as viewers to reflect onthe stark contrast between the promiseof life and the absolute void of death, amomento mori for the 21st century.McQueen was recently awarded a BFIFellowship. This video will be shown at alater date.

Patricia Tierney, a new Friends’ committeemember tells of a very recent contribution by the Friends to the gallery

Nina ChuaNina Chua has a studio in Manchesterand one of her works Narrow Interlock,2014 is a recent addition to the Insightshow. Nina explains ‘I attach nosymbolic or narrative value to the work.It is simply the result of its process.However I am interested in how asurface gets imbued with meaning andthe connection between body andwork.

In particular, the value of line, colourand support and all they articulatebeyond words.’

Nina’s work could also be seen at therecent Manchester Contemporary.

3For contact and membership information, please visit: www.friendsofthewhitworth.org.uk


Nina Chua, Narrow Interlock, 2014.

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Filled with strangers, the prospect ofspending the next three years withthese other students was terrifying, theexperience saved by the deeplyreassuring Derek Jarman, Evil Queenpaintings, which I just loved.

I returned to the Whitworth in earnestto work on the exhibition SubversiveSpaces: Surrealism and ContemporaryArt, 10 years or so after that first visit.

By then I had an M.A. and a Ph.D. undermy belt, but had never actually toucheda work of art. The whole experiencewas a revelation: I worked with objects;with living artists; with brilliantcolleagues in a brilliant gallery.

If I recall correctly the Friends of theWhitworth even supported my firstever visit to the Venice Biennale toresearch for the exhibition!

I was also lucky enough to be here asthe Whitworth started formulating itsplans for the HLF bid and for thepossibilities for change and innovationthat drew on the gallery’s history andcollections. However, the chance todevelop a brand new art gallery luredme over the Pennines to The HepworthWakefield. That was a brilliantexperience of working with Hepworth’ssculptures, contemporary artists andTwentieth Century British art. Thepeople and landscape of Wakefield werea pleasure to work with and among. Thestories not only of Hepworth, but of anindustrial heritage, political resistanceand an attachment to the landscapewere the background to all my workthere.

But when the job of Senior Curator atthe Whitworth came up I jumped at the

chance. It’s rare to get the opportunityto return to an organisation, especiallyone that has undergone such change,while keeping its heart steady. Sincereturning, I have reacquainted myselfwith old colleagues, met new ones,revelled in the new gallery spaces and -more than once – gone into a cleaningcupboard that I was convinced was anew meeting room.

I’ve also started work on a reallyexciting exhibition programme. My firstshow will be ARTIST ROOMS: AndyWarhol, a revelatory look at the artist’slater work that examines Warhol as anartist of political critique who foresawthe failure of the American Dream atthe same time as he celebrated itsiconography of hamburgers and Coca-Cola.

Welcome ReturnSamantha Lackey, SeniorCurator, Programmes tellsher storyI first came to Manchester as anundergraduate History of Art student inthe early 1990s. Of course I came to theWhitworth, which had RichardHamilton’s Large Glass on display and Iremember the ‘welcome’ event forstudents in the South Gallery.

For contact and membership information, please visit: www.friendsofthewhitworth.org.uk


Friends have no doubt seen them ontheir travels.

Paul Nash’s Whiteleaf Cross might havebeen in this exhibition, but is on loan toTate Britain for their Nash show .

In 2001 the Friends funded the giltframing of Francis Bacon’s Portrait ofLucian Freud (1951). You may have seenthe work recently at Tate, Liverpool inFrancis Bacon: Invisible Rooms.

Works from theWhitworth appear inexhibitions all over theworld!

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Samantha Lackey, see Welcome Returnon the opposite page, has written of herinvolvement in this Warhol exhibitionand many of you this month will haveattended the lively preview at thegallery.

In 1968 Andy Warhol was pronounceddead: shot by feminist author, activistand member of his entourage ValerieSolanas. He was taken to hospital,received open-heart massage and wasrevived. Warhol explored his encounterwith death through his art and in thephotograph of his scarred torso byRichard Avedon. This visualexamination of his death is a recurringmotif where Avedon’s photograph of

Warhol as a scarred Frankenstein’smonster is displayed alongside the pale,empty-eyed Warhol in Self-Portraitwith Skull (1978) and Self PortraitStrangulation (1978).

His experimentations with his ownappearance as a symbol of his work canbe seen in the series of Self-Portraits –this repetitive self-image aforeshadowing of current selfie culture.

Back to a symbol of death in TheElectric Chairs series (1971) taken fromthe 1953 photo agency image of theempty death chamber of Communistspies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.

Other controversial objects symbolising20th century America are on colourfulview at the Whitworth – Dollar Sign(1981), Camouflage (1986) and Gun(1981).

These works are drawn from theextensive ARTIST ROOMS collection of232 works by Warhol spanning theartist’s entire oeuvre. ARTIST ROOMSwas established through the generosityof Anthony d’Offay in 2008.

You may have seen Ron Mueck’s work inARTIST ROOMS at Manchester ArtGallery a few years ago.

ARTIST ROOMS: Andy Warhol runsuntil April.

A stimulating andcontroversial show drawnfrom a collection ofinternational modern andcontemporary art ownedby National Galleries ofScotland and Tate.



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Andy Warhol, Skulls, 1976. ARTIST ROOMS,National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d'Offay Donationwith assistance from the National HeritageMemorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008.

Death, politics and selfiesexplored in Artist Rooms




It is the first Raimondi exhibition in the UK and showcases the world-classcollections of Marcantonio’s work at the University of Manchester, housed at theWhitworth and the John Rylands library.

The exhibition has loans of prints by Marcantonio and unique drawings by Raphaelfrom major collections including The Royal Collection Trust, Windsor; BritishMuseum; V&A; Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge and Liverpool Libraries.

David Morris, Head of Collections at the Whitworth and Dr Edward Wouk, Lecturerin Art History and Visual Studies, University of Manchester have curated thisstunning and exquisite exhibition.

Manchester University Press has published an extensively illustrated catalogue. This and prints are on sale in the Shop. Remember Friends’ discount is available.

‘Postcards’from Viennaand LeedsBack in June, in the summer of2016, when we were still happy to becalled Europeans, a group of 'Friends'travelled to Vienna to enjoy the art andculture of that elegant city with atroubled history. Our hotel justhappened to be on the same street asthe famous Café Central which soonbecame a regular stop for strudel andspritzer. It was also just round thecorner from Palais Ephrussi theancestral home of Edmund de Waal andknown to everyone who has read theHare with Amber Eyes. To read AdeleJennison’s blog go towww.friendsofthewhitworth.org.uk/Article

Art at home comes in many guises aswe discovered on a recent day out inLeeds and Wakefield. From historiclimb prosthetics in the Henry MooreInstitute to giant concrete vegetables inthe new Tetley gallery in Leeds, it has tobe Art if it is in a gallery!

Under consideration for the future arealways new experiences such ashistoric engines in Poynton or Vulcanbombers in Woodford and more Hallsto be visited in Lancashire(Browsholme) and Cheshire (Adlington).After Hull – City of Culture 2017, thereare Medieval Churches in Norfolk orGalleries in the great cities of southWales to travel to, and we really shouldconsider Margate, far away and hard toreach, but anything is possible for aFriends of the Whitworth tour.

Joan Gem

A passion for Marcantonio RaimondiFriends were invited to a private view of the outstanding exhibition MarcantonioRaimondi and Raphael. It features the work of one of the radical originators andinnovators of the European tradition of printmaking Raimondi (c.1480 – c 1534) and hisgroundbreaking collaborations with the Renaissance artist Raphael.

David Morris sharing his passion forMarcantonio Raimondi.

Raimondi after Raphael, Poetry c 1515.6

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Daily work at the Whitworth as amember of the Visitor Team centresvery much on helping people enjoy andfind their way around the galleryengaging in and explaining ourcollections - the varied aspects ofthemes and the work of artists on display.

Our Highlight tours, which we deviseourselves, run every afternoon at 2.00pm explaining the Whitworth’shistory, building and park as well as ourinterests in the current exhibitions.This gives a good opportunity for thepublic to see the works through oureyes incorporating time for questionsand answers on any aspect about theWhitworth gallery.

Varied in its displays of contemporaryand historic works, the Whitworth has aunique flavour in its exhibitionprogrammes which makes engagingwith the public very special every day.

A little of Dave’s backgroundHaving been fascinated in the backstage workings of the theatre, most ofmy early career was involved in liveproductions scenically at an amateurand then professional level.

Having trained as a scenic artist insouth London, I worked for 10 years inthe West End mainly at The RoyalOpera House, Covent Garden, and then4 years for the Library TheatreCompany, Manchester.

After working for the Library Theatre inthe late 80s, I spent 20 years teachingArt and Design prior to coming to theWhitworth in 2014.

Here to HelpDave Brind is a familiar face at the Whitworth. He tells us how he and other membersof the Visitor Team talk about the exhibitions, give background information about awork which particularly intrigues (we have a few of those!) and the way to the toilets isthere too!

In 1998 I bought a book; a Barbican exhibitioncatalogue by Judith Collins ‘Eric Gill, TheSculpture’ which includes a photograph of astone carving ‘The Holy Face of Christ.’ Thiswas first exhibited in the Goupil Gallery,London priced £70.

It was then bought from Gill by collectorCharles Rutherston in 1925, who presented hiscollection to Manchester City Art Gallery.

This was Job 899 in Gill’s ledgers and it wascarved for his own pleasure. Gill more usuallypresents Christ as a man of action. Here hesleeps at peace with his head resting on hisright hand, his upper torso naked. In choosingto portray Christ asleep, Gill renders himtender and sensual.

First question, why/how, does anyoneconnected to a Christian religion knowimmediately and without looking at the titleknow this is an image of Christ?

I have twice put in requests to Manchester ArtGallery to view this carving and been told bothtimes that it was ‘in an off-site store’ andunavailable. I was thrilled to find it on exhibitionat the Whitworth in Elizabeth Price Curates.

Eric Gill’s name does not appear in the preview leaflet.

Many questions arise when people look at thisexhibit. Dave (visitor team) is convincedElizabeth Price has carefully placed it injuxtaposition with a clip of Charles Laughton’s‘Night of the Hunter’ about two childrenescaping the clutches of an evil priestlymurderer?

Do we now consider Eric Gill an evil person?Should we not exhibit and admire his

wonderful art? I don’t know and I have justpurchased his autobiography by FionaMcCarthy published 1989, who says she was‘unprepared for the hostility that would greetrevelations about his incestuous past.’

My final question: was Sam Taylor-Johnsoninspired by this sculpture (now called SleepingChrist) when she created the video installationof David Beckham for the National PortraitGallery in 2004?

Searching for Eric Gill Joan Gem asks many questions!

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Eagle eyed readers may spot this article is typeset in GIll Sans Light.


Designed and produced for the Friends of the Whitworth by Pure Design Studios (01625 433664)

Chairman, Friends of the Whitworth, The Whitworth, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER.

Why not take this once in a lifetime opportunity to really make a difference to the Whitworth ? All donations, large or small are welcome - please send cheques payable to the Friends of the Whitworth at the address below...

Editor: Gill Crook. If you have any ideas for Friends’ Perspective I would be pleased to hear from you. Contact me at [email protected]

Friends of museums are thesame the world over!



A bold statement you maythink. What follows is anattempt to justify it.Recently I was lucky enough to attendthe annual meeting of WFFM (the WorldFederation of Friends of Museums) inWashington D.C. which like any goodmeeting began with a good party on theroof terrace of the hotel where we werebased; the sun was going down and theview towards the Potomac and thedowntown government buildings wasalmost romantic.

For those who don’t know it,Washington is not a high-rise city andthe pace of life is relatively relaxedperhaps because so many work for thegovernment either directly orindirectly. Neon signs are few and farbetween, people cycle to work, walkand jog and use the bus. There are lotsof green spaces and fewer 4x4s than insome parts of Cheshire.

Working sessions began with eachregional Vice President (Australasia,Europe, North and South America)summarising their impressions of themajor concerns of Friends of Museums

in their area, which provoked a lot ofdiscussion.

Funding or lack of it, is a major concernworldwide, but especially in Europe andNorth America, where museums receiveno government funding and taxconcessions encourage donations ofworks of art and major funds for capitalprojects but revenue funding to keepthe lights on is not enough to such anextent that curators’ salaries areimpounded and some major museumsare as the US delegate succinctly put it‘bankrupt’ and are being forced to close.

For the moment 33,000 small museumsare often doing better as they dependon volunteers and are used to workingwith a shoestring budget.

However the most encouraging thingabout the whole meeting was that therewere more young Friends (i.e. under 30)than older ones. It was agreed by theoldies to seek out sources of funding,helping the young ones travel and getto know one another.

Rosemary Marsh

Another successfulPilkington Lecture andSupper - this year (47th)with potter and authorEdmund de Waal. Thanks toJoan Gem and team for theorganisation of this event.We maintain our tradition ofillustrious speakers from SirKenneth Clark, Dame Bridget Riley,Antony Penrose, Grayson Perry -see the full list in Art from Friends.

Esmé Ward, Head of Learning andEngagement with Edmund de Waal

and Nicola Walker, Head of Collections Care and Access.

Edmund de Waal next to Bernard Meadows,Frightened Figure, 1976.

Pilkington supper in the café in the trees.

Carol Hardie reads of another award for theWhitworth build - this time glazing.

Untitled 2016, Anya Gallacio's steel tree as seen from the café.


art from friends...nina chua, narrow interlock, 2014. steve mcqueen, ashes, 2002-2015. video still....

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