First unveiled in 2017, Manchester’s Great Northern Warehouse commissioned a series of 10 posters from Stanley Chow, depicting ‘Great Northerners’ as voted for by the public via a social media campaign.
The first batch of northerners included Alan Turing, Emmeline Pankhurst, LS Lowry, Liam Gallagher and more.
To celebrate Black History Month 2020, the team decided to expand the exhibition to better represent and celebrate Manchester’s black and ethnic minority communities.
A call for nominations was made to the public and the four winning figures have now been immortalised by artist Stanley Chow, who is known for his iconic signature style.
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The four inspiring Mancunians joining the exhibition are Marcus Rashford, poet Lemn Sissay, Professor Erinma Bell and boxer Phil Martin, with their portraits now displayed in the site’s foyer alongside the existing images from December.
Commenting on the extension exhibition, Mark Schofield, Centre Director at the Great Northern Warehouse, said:
“We are proud to announce the new additions to our Great Northerner exhibition and are thrilled at the positive response from the public, who have selected four truly inspirational locals to join our line-up. Not only do they allow us to better represent the diverse communities who have contributed to Mancunian life, they also represent a diverse range of sectors, including sport, poetry, academia and activism.
“As an organisation, the Great Northern is committed to being anti-racist and to creating a culture that is equal and inclusive for all visitors and staff. We’re proud that the diversity of our region is quite rightly now represented on our walls, not just for Black History Month but all year round – which is why this exhibition and its extension is so important to us.”
Great Northern Warehouse and Stanley Chow permitted Forever Manchester to sell a range of associated products to raise money to support the local community.
There’s absolutely loads up for grabs on their site, including posters, postcard sets, mugs and coasters – perfect for a last minute Christmas gift.
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Great Northern Warehouse, 235 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4EN
