Exhibition telling stories about displacement launches at the Whitworth Art Gallery

The Whitworth and Creative Manchester present Traces of Displacement, an exhibition using the Whitworth’s collection to address one of the major humanitarian concerns of the 20th and 21st centuries, forced displacement. The exhibition will run from 7 April 2023 until 7 January 2024.

The Whitworth is one of the University’s four cultural institutions, operating as a convening space between the University and the people of the city. The gallery is driven by a mission to work with communities to use art for positive social change, and actively address what matters most in people’s lives.

Creative Manchester forms part of the Universities three research platforms and convenes, develops and sustains interdisciplinary research communities across The University of Manchester and Greater Manchester while raising awareness of creativity as a practice.

Traces of Displacement presents a fragmentary, yet compelling, set of stories about displacement.

It has been developed from deep research into how stories of forced migration can be told using the Whitworth’s collection of art, textiles and wallpaper. With almost 80 works and objects included in the exhibition, the works of art selected reveal how artists experience and witness social, cultural and political upheaval. They are important historical documents that can challenge dominant narratives and familiar aesthetic tropes of refugees. These are not just images of conflict or trauma — they are much more human than that — they make space for critical dialogue, testimony, resilience and humour.

Traces of Displacement draws on the expertise of a team of University of Manchester academics as part of an Arts and Humanities Research Council project: Understanding Displacement Aesthetics led by Professor Ana Carden-Coyne, Dr Chrisoula Lionis and Dr Angeliki Roussou. Together with the Whitworth’s curator Dr Leanne Green and a focus group of advisors with lived experience or heritage of displacement, they have planned an exhibition that uncovers stories of persecution, creativity and resilience.

Traces of Displacement reflect the contemporary and historical experiences of displacement. Historical lines of inquiry range from colonialism and the slave trade, to the first and second world wars, and the impact of climate change. Contemporary asylum-seeking experiences are explored with portrayals of displacement and detention shown alongside reflections on personal, collective, and inherited trauma that follows in its wake. The seven collaborating advisors with heritage of forced displacement, are also creative practitioners and embarked on this project using their own artistic creations and interventions to share their experiences. Using painting, textile, poetry, storytelling, video and recorded conversation, these artists share key insights to visitors.

• For further press information, images and interview requests please contact Communications Manager, Melissa McFarlane on: 07795625935 or Melissa.McFarlane@manchester.ac.uk.