At Dean Clough, I particularly wanted to see an exhibition of photographs of Haworth and other places linked to the Brontës: A Brontë Reader, by Helen Burrow. They're black and white images, taken with a Holga camera, so they have a characteristic blurriness and grittiness which rather suits the subject matter. The exhibition is partnered by a book of the photos paired with quotes from the Brontës' books, letters and other reflections.
Whilst I was there, I explored the other galleries, and these were some of the artworks I enjoyed:
Exquisitely coloured and complex bas-reliefs, made of folded and crimped paper - by Pierrette Vergne (lovely name too!)
A series of life drawings made by Doug Binder, painter in residence at Dean Clough.
Playful ceramics by Ian Stewart, including Gorilla with kitten (above).
An oddly compelling sculptural installation by Connie Lo Ho Yee: In the Absence Of... that involves illusion (how is it held up?), sound and 3D printing. One of my friends remarked that it looked like 'toothpaste in space' - well, yes...
My favourite exhibit, possibly, was a photo of Dean Clough taken in the 1930s by the famous photographer Bill Brandt: Catchpoint - Hail, Hell and Halifax.
Hail, hell and Halifax. Never a truer word. I feel so sorry for my Mum who had to live in this Dreck. An excellent photo.
ReplyDeletefrom F.W. Moran's poem The Dalesman's Litany
ReplyDeleteIt's hard when fowks can't finnd their wark
Wheer they've bin bred an' born;
I were young I awlus thowt
I'd bide 'mong t' roots an' corn.
I've bin forced to work i' towns,
So here's my litany:
Frae Hull, an' Halifax, an' Hell,
Gooid Lord, deliver me!
Indeed! That blooming poem left me with a heavy heart when I first (in the 1970s) had to go live in Halifax. But even in those days it turned out to be quite a nice place and these days it is transformed, as are all these Northern towns (as I hope my various photos show.)
DeleteAnd I live just outside Royston where Rupert Brooke assures us:
Delete"Royston men in the far South
Are black and fierce and strange of mouth"
But that's not true either!
That last one is my favourite.
ReplyDeleteI have to say the photo in the top one is my favourite, looks very much like a haunted scene.
ReplyDeleteSo Cool - Love The Lego - Well Done
ReplyDeleteCheers