Located just a pleasant twenty-minute walk out of Manchester’s Town Centre, lays the Whitworth Gallery. Originally built in 1889 as “a gallery in a park that would counteract the malaises of inner-city life”, it the collated a large collection of watercolour paintings and textiles, reopening in 1908 as the ‘New Whitworth Art Gallery’ for people from all society classes to appreciate (the Whitworth, n.d. History).
I visited this Gallery in September 2019 where various interesting exhibitions were taking place but the one I was most drawn to was the semi-permanent installation of their wallpaper collection. The interior of the red-bricked building itself is a contrast to it’s exterior. Full of clean lines and open spaces that link together without any obstruction; creating a customer journey plan that visits each exhibition space as opposed to reflecting the historical Victorian architecture. As soon as I came through the large entranceway, I noticed everything is stripped back. Whitewash walls, clean, sharp angular divisions. Then I came face to face with a vast expanse of colour and pattern. The Wallpaper Collection.
I found out whilst I was there that their collection holds over 5000 different samples of papers, collated over the years after “1967 when The Wallpaper Manufacturers Ltd donated the main bulk” (the Whitworth, n.d. Wallpaper). What drew me most to this room was the contrast to the rest of the interior. The other exhibitions were your typical dainty framed paintings and drawings from various unrecognised artists, whereas this span the full length and height of the centre wall. I felt inadequate and small in the presence of such a large display. It showed me how people can actually get ‘lost’ within their surroundings however I wasn’t intimidated, I was content within the space due to the ‘safety and warmth’ of the designs. I sat on the bench provided, enabling me to take in the details from a distance, and up close if I wanted to.
Separated from other imposing work whilst acting as a room divider, almost forcing me to pay attention to the display. Full of clashing colours and patterns ranging from “17th century to present” (the Whitworth, n.d. Wallpaper) I instantly recognised the prints from one of my favourite designers, William Morris. I may not use his literal textile prints within my own work however I draw inspiration from the colours he uses, often a reflection of nature, with admiring nature being one of my main principles within interiors. The use of such a range of different colours means that every individual can interpret the exhibition in their own way, a reflection of the taste within their own homes. I personally was drawn to the softer designs, the busyness of some made me almost dizzy and I prefer to feel grounded in my spaces. The minimalist style of the rest of the room allowed me to appreciate the work without any distractions.
Although I was unable to interact with the collection through touch, I could imagine the textures of the embossed work. Their shadows bounced off the opposing walls, intensified by the cool white spot lighting. Silence setting the tone upon arrival, as a young adult I became too aware of everybody else around me throughout the Gallery rooms, however due to the expanse of this display, I got lost within it. It’s almost as if everything else around me vanished and I stopped taking notice of how far other people were stood away from me or if I was obstructing anybody else’s views. Everybody remained silent, even the young children interacting with the shadows cast across the levelled timber floor.
An exhibition that could alter the senses without being interactive. Drawing you into the centre of a space to get the best view of the whole piece, in peace. An alternate atmosphere to partner exhibits. I would like to use the zoning of this exhibition in my future designs; allowing customers to travel at their own pace throughout a set ‘journey’ within a space. The option of using decorative divider walls and not being afraid of ‘wasted space’ when it provides a space as invigorating as this exhibition design.
References
the Whitworth. (n.d.). History. Retrieved from https://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/visit/thenewgallery/history/
the Whitworth. (n.d.). Wallpaper. Retrieved from
https://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/collection/ourcollection/wallpaper/
Pictures – Authors own