Look of the cityThey run right down Stanley street, along Whitechapel and up Sir Thomas
Street, creating a 150sq metre outdoor gallery, and they celebrate Liverpool
in an era of change. Welcome to the Look of the City at the forthcoming
Met Quarter, Admission free, open 24/7.
The abundance of construction sites is providing a canvas for innovative
paintings and drawings, in this instance by documentary illustration students
from John Moores University’s school of Art & Design, showcasing
their talents on the Milligan development on the site of the old Post
Office. Rapid change within Liverpool is the theme, and more will follow
from other young people as the seasons change.
JMU lecturer Julie Midgley originally chose 15 students, and a three
week workshop onsite at the end of last year resulted in the pieces. Leading
the project is Sarah Vasey of the Culture Company who says, ‘We
need to redevelop buildings in Liverpool to regenerate the city, but the
hoardings and scaffolding doesn’t always look attractive. With this
artwork we can provide a unique opportunity for budding artists to showcase
their work in a really public and eyecatching way, as well as making Liverpool
a more pleasant-looking place.’
Plans are in the pipeline for more sites to be decorated and other mediums
to be used, like photography, creative writing and visual art, to chart
Liverpool as a city in progress. Promoting specific environmental messages
on the hoardings, with themes of anti ‘ litter and recycling, are
also being considered.