Stanley Chow exhibition opens in Arndale

Stanley Chow’s latest Manchester show is not in a gallery. Since August 3, the illustrator’s “MCR Made” exhibition has filled Manchester Arndale with 13 giant inflatable portraits of local figures including L.S. Lowry, Liam Gallagher, Alan Turing and Emmeline Pankhurst, according to Manchester Arndale and TheBusinessDesk. (manchesterarndale.com) The free installation is laid out as a trail through the shopping centre, with portraits suspended above visitors and stretching up to six metres in length. Manchester Arndale says the exhibition runs through October 24. (thebusinessdesk.com) ### Why is Stanley Chow showing this work in a shopping centre? Stanley Chow said Manchester Arndale was a fitting site because of its place in the city’s daily life. (manchesterarndale.com) In comments reported by TheBusinessDesk, Chow called the centre “my Mecca” and said he had been visiting since it opened nearly 50 years ago. He said he wanted the work seen by “as many people as possible from all walks of life,” adding that art does not always need to be shown in a gallery. Manchester Arndale and Visit Manchester both describe the project as a citywide celebration staged inside one of Manchester’s best-known commercial landmarks. (manchesterarndale.com) The installation turns the centre into a walk-through exhibition rather than a single-room display, with viewers directed along a route through the building. ### Which Manchester figures appear in the exhibition? TheBusinessDesk said the line-up includes Liam and Noel Gallagher, Marcus Rashford, Phil Foden, Emmeline Pankhurst, Alan Turing, L.S. Lowry, Caroline Aherne, Lemn Sissay and Aitch. Other coverage of the exhibition describes the same grouping as spanning music, sport, science, politics, art and culture. (thebusinessdesk.com) Creative Boom reported that Chow also unveiled a new portrait of Ellen Wilkinson for the project. That addition places the show’s emphasis not only on globally known entertainers and athletes, but also on political and cultural figures associated with the city’s history. (manchesterarndale.com) ### How large is the installation inside the Arndale? Manchester Arndale says the exhibition consists of 13 “towering inflatable portraits” displayed across the centre. TheBusinessDesk and other local coverage say some works measure up to six metres long and are suspended overhead, making the installation visible from multiple floors. (thebusinessdesk.com) Secret Manchester said the format is designed as a summer art trail, with visitors moving through the shopping centre to find each portrait. That layout makes the exhibition closer to a public installation than a conventional framed show. ### What are organisers saying about the exhibition? (creativeboom.com) David Allinson, centre director at Manchester Arndale, said in remarks reported by TheBusinessDesk that the exhibition celebrates figures whose “talent, ambition and determination” helped build Manchester’s reputation. He said the show felt at home in the Arndale because the centre itself had been part of the city for almost five decades. (manchesterarndale.com) Manchester Arndale’s event page describes the project as a free exhibition of the work of “internationally acclaimed Manchester artist and illustrator Stanley Chow.” Visit Manchester similarly presents it as a celebration of people who helped define the city’s identity. (secretmanchester.com) ### How long does it run, and where do visitors check details? Manchester Arndale says “MCR Made” opened on August 3 and runs until October 24. The centre’s event page carries the visitor information and trail details, and several local listings direct readers there for the latest access information. Creative Boom and other local reports also said Manchester Arndale is giving away 26 limited-edition signed A4 prints linked to the exhibition. (thebusinessdesk.com) Organisers said winners would be selected at random. (creativeboom.com) (manchesterarndale.com)