An upcoming exhibition at Contemporary Six will present a collection of paintings, pencil drawings and limited-edition screen prints that record ten years of development across Manchester city centre.
Artist Jean Hobson has been working on a body of artwork that documents Manchester’s urbanisation over a decade. The work focuses on the architectural transformation of the city, including iconic scenes of Piccadilly Gardens and the Town Hall, to gritty back streets in Ancoats.
Hobson started to work for Children Services in Manchester in 2007 and says it marked a turning point in her artistic career. “It was while working here, through a casual glance out of the fifth floor window of a high-rise office where I was based, that I suddenly became aware of the massive changes that were taking place in the city below me.”
From then on, Hobson began to focus on the changing space of the city centre. “I discovered the ushering in of a different aesthetic with a completely new language. It saw old street names being erased and outdated buildings being demolished or restructured to suit present day needs. It fascinated me, and I knew I had to record it.” My Manchester tells the story of the post-industrial, obsolete and out-dated structures that gave way to the post-modern homes, districts and construction developments.
The founder of Contemporary Six, Alex Reuben has been representing Hobson for seven years. “The show has been ten years in the making and no artist has put together such a thorough documentation of Manchester’s development. It’s a must-see exhibition for anyone with a fascination of Manchester, its history and architecture.”
My Manchester: Capturing a Decade of Architectural Transformation Across the City by artist Jean Hobson will be held at Contemporary Six – The Gallery from September 28 until October 15, 2017.
