City histories explored
The history of two cities – Wolverhampton and Mumbai – re explored in new exhibitions opening this weekend.
Tomorrow sees the opening of a new exhibition focussed on Wolverhampton's once-thriving motor industry at the City Archives.
The Wolverhampton Motor Industry Exhibition both celebrates and examines the history of this industry through original documents, photographs and other material taken from the collections of Wolverhampton City Archives.
The exhibition focuses in particular on Guy Motors, Sunbeam and its land speed record achievements, AJS and two once-successful companies which failed to stand the test of time – Clyno and Star. To celebrate the launch of the exhibition, a classic Clyno car will be outside the City Archives building this Saturday, allowing visitors to get up close to a piece of Wolverhampton history.
The exhibition will also feature a Wolverhampton-made 1913 Sunbeam motorcycle kindly loaned to the Archives by the Black Country Living Museum for the duration of the display.
Tomorrow also sees an exhibition of photographs of the Indian city of Mumbai at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Snapshots of Mumbai combines pictures taken by Paul Ward and narrative descriptions of the city by writer Ed King. King said:?"This exhibition is an exploration of the city. It introduces the wider city through a personal narrative and is a modern reminder of the historical relationships between India and the UK." The show runs until August 31.
Also at the Archives from this weekend until August 30 is A Backward Glance. The exhibition features early 20th and 21st century photography by Sid and Chris Manley.
This father and son exhibition spans nearly 90 years of photography: Sid Manley working in the mid-1920s, producing long exposure night photographs on glass negatives, and his son Chris retaking the same locations in 2013, with a contemporary eye.
Meanwhile, Walsall New Art Gallery will reveal its latest Damien Hirst installation tomorrow. The work entitled He Tried to Internalise Everything, 1992-1994 will be on display until November 24.
He Tried to Internalise Everything is from Hirst's 1990s series Internal Affairs, a group of glass-walled cells containing everyday objects such as tools, clothing and furniture. This installation accompanies an extended display of works by Damien Hirst as part of ARTIST ROOMS On Tour.
