Salford Museum & Art Gallery’s Cotton and Steel focuses on art celebrating Britain’s industrial heritage. The exhibition’s title is a reference to the two contemporary artists whose work is on display. Kevin Haynes was born in the cotton town of Oldham, and David Watson hails from the steel producing area of Teesside. Despite having similar upbringings, they have very different approaches to portraying industrial Britain. Haynes creates nostalgic visions of mill town life in a vibrantly-coloured, faux naïve style. Watson, on the other hand, paints raw and brutal depictions of the subject matter. Considered to be something of a forgotten artist, Watson went largely unnoticed until relatively recently, when – at age 70 – his work finally began to be recognised by major galleries. The exhibition runs until October, and there will be a chance to meet the artists in September.
Sat 9 Jul – Sun 9 Oct, Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford, M5 4WU, Tel: 0161 778 0800, times vary, FREE, www.salfordcommunityleisure.co.uk
- Words:
- A. James Simpkin
- Published on:
- Tue 2 Aug 2016
