Page 16 - Real Rochdale Issue 10 Summer 2021

Touchstones reopens
with new exhibitions
Touchstones Rochdale has reopened its
doors, and visitors are being welcomed
back with a series of new exhibitions
and events.
The town centre venue reopened on 18 May in
line with the Government’s lockdown roadmap.
An award-winning arts and heritage centre
with an art gallery, museum, and local history
centre, Touchstones has three exhibitions
running this summer for visitors.
In partnership with Imperial War Museums,
‘War’s Other Voices’ commemorates the 80th
anniversary of the Battle of Britain last year,
with an evocative exhibition focusing on the
role of women and art galleries during WW2.
‘What’s Changed?’ focuses on how life has
changed during the Covid-19 crisis, mixing
first-hand reflections, artwork, objects, and
ephemera from across the borough’s nationally
significant social history collections.
‘Grayson Perry: The Vanity of Small
Differences’ opens on 16 July 2021. This
exhibition of six tapestries tells the story of
class mobility and the influence social class has
on our aesthetic taste. Inspired by William
Exhibitions at Touchstones
We Can Do It. War’s Other Voices
Tuesday 18 May - Saturday 18 September 2021
What’s Changed?
Tuesday 18 May - Saturday 1 January 2022
Grayson Perry: The Vanity of Small Differences
Friday 16 July - Friday 24 September 2021
REAL ROCHDALE - SUMMER 2021
‘What’s Changed?’ exhibition
As part of the ‘What’s over the course of a decade, it
Changed?’ exhibit, a story of tells a story of lost
community spirit, childhood, communities and neighbourly
and a simple desire to pass on spirit.
the gift of creativity is also on
show via ‘Middleton’s famous A trained designer - having
front door’. spent time globally
establishing design centres at
Throughout the 1980s, the request of 20th century
Mrs Malik’s Front Door
Courtesy Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust
Yvonne Malik’s front door at leader in British design, Sir
Hogarth’s ‘A Rake’s Progress’, the tapestries 145 Walker Street in Gordon Russell – Mrs Malik, Mrs Malik’s Front Door
Middleton was a focal point now 84-years old and of Wray, Courtesy Rochdale Boroughwide
chart the ‘class journey’ made by young Tim for the local community, Lancashire arrived in her Cultural Trust
Rakewell and include many of the characters, eventually making its way into Middleton home in 1980 and
incidents and objects Grayson Perry
encountered on journeys through Sunderland, the local public art collection immediately made her mark. door became a canvas on
Tunbridge Wells and The Cotswolds for the as an item of historical which they all wanted to make
television series ‘All in the Best Possible Taste significance. Finding children simply a mark.
‘hanging around’ outside her
with Grayson Perry’. Now on display 30 years home, she taught them the Mrs Malik took the door with
after its removal from Malik’s basics of art and turned her her to her new Lancashire
Touchstones’ reopening follows a year’s worth
of online activity to help keep residents home, and having been signed front room into a makeshift home before offering it to
connected with culture during lockdown, and by almost 300 local children classroom for lessons. Her Rochdale Art Gallery in 1994.
staff have now worked to ensure visitor safety
is a top priority with several Covid-19 safety Touchstones Rochdale offers a wide variety of There are interactive exhibits, films, audios
measures in place and receiving the ‘We’re exhibitions in the Heritage Gallery and the Art and objects from the borough’s collection
Good to Go’ certificate. Gallery’s four gallery spaces including those on display.
from the local community, selections from the
Mark Doyle, Art Gallery Curator and borough’s impressive art collection and work Touchstones opening times
Collections Manager at Touchstones, said: by contemporary artists. Wednesday - Saturday: 10am - 5pm
“We’re delighted to be welcoming people back. Sunday: 10am - 4pm
As well as the changing exhibitions spaces,
“We’ve been in regular contact with our there is also a permanent museum which aims Touchstones Rochdale, The Esplanade
visitors during the pandemic and want to make to tell a potted history of Rochdale. Rochdale, OL16 1AQ
sure they have even more to discover as we Tel: 01706 924492
reopen, which is why it was important to have The museum is ideally suited to visitors with an
these new exhibitions and events in place.” interest in the history of Rochdale or families. Admission is FREE. Pre-booked visits only.
16 17 REAL ROCHDALE - SUMMER 2021