On Saturday 24, September visitors to Salford Museum and Art Gallery can meet the artists behind the Cotton & Steel exhibition, Kevin Haynes and David Watson.
Cotton & Steel brings together the cotton industry of Manchester and Oldham and the steel industry of Teeside and Middlesbrough in this joint exhibition by post war artists Kevin Haynes and David Watson.
Cotton and steel are two distinctly contrasting materials presented by two distinctly different artists, both from working backgrounds in industry, who later mixed their palettes to reflect these experiences.
Kevin’s instantly recognisable colourful naive style blends fondness of his childhood and career memories of northern cotton towns, through a methodical and precise mind of an engineer. Whilst
David’s raw and often brutal approach resonates a personal relationship with the industrial past against the present reality.
When combined they weave an industrial narrative connecting the regions through the industries once defined as Cotton and Steel.
Cotton & Steel runs in the North Gallery until Sunday 9 October but on Saturday 24th September, Salford Community Leisure, which operates Salford Museum & Art Gallery has arranged a meet the artists event between 2-3.30pm. Guests are invited to ask Kevin and David about their practices and work.
The drop-in event in free and no booking is required.
In addition to being able to meet the artists, the world’s whistling champion David Morris will be on hand demonstrating how whistling was common amongst Victorian cotton and steel mill workers as it helped them through the extremely tough day.
