New exhibition: Isaac Julien’s Ten Thousand Waves at the Whitworth

An immersive art installation is coming to The Whitworth Gallery from the end of this month. It is inspired by the Morecambe Bay tragedy of 2004, during which many Chinese migrant workers were drowned by the incoming tide. This cinematic, three screen piece by artist Isaac Julien explores the themes of desire, loss, and separation. Combining archive footage with fiction scenes shot in China, ‘Ten Thousand Waves’ alludes to traditional and contemporary Chinese visual culture. Julien interweaves news footage of the rescue mission with the legend of the sea goddess Mazu – the protector of seafarers. It features work by leading artists and performers from around the world, including Wang Ping, whose verse pays tribute to the lost souls of those who died. The film’s score fuses Western and Eastern styles, incorporating music by Jah Wobble and the classical composer Maria de Alvear.

Fri 30 Mar – Tue 28 Aug, The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER, Tel: 0161 275 7450, times vary, FREE, www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk