Rochdale residents are being invited to share their own experiences and mementoes to form part of Whose Voice? Touchstones’ latest exhibition which explores the role of museums, art galleries and civic spaces in contemporary society

The exhibition considers how history is presented to us through the eyes of those most privileged at the time and intends to represent more contributions and voices from a diverse range of local residents

Touchstones Art Gallery and Museum has recently launched its newest exhibition Whose Voice?, developed by artist Simeon Barclay, alongside poet and playwright Liz Mytton, with the contributions of a group of Rochdale residents and funding from Arts Council England and The Granada Foundation.

Presented across two installations, both of which incorporate items and mementoes donated by Rochdale residents as well as a series of performance pieces, Whose Voice? will explore the role that museums, art galleries and civic spaces play in contemporary society, and look at how our histories are presented and whose voices are remembered.

Simeon Barclay’s installation, Hard to Reach!, examines the dominant voices of the rich and powerful in the Borough’s collections, and through thoughtful selection and positioning of furniture, busts, portraits and mirrors, asks visitors: “are we reflected in these collections?”

Echoes, the exhibit’s second installation developed by Liz Mytton and a small group of local residents has explored the collections and responds to them through personal possessions.

This second installation alsoincludes a recreation of a bedsit one of the residents lived in when they first moved to Rochdale. Other residents' stories will be re-told through film and live performances taking place throughout the exhibition period.

Mark Doyle, Head of Culture at Touchstones Rochdale, said of the exhibition:

“Whose Voice? is a refreshing approach to presenting Rochdale’s cultural heritage. Throughout history, we’ve been told the stories of the rich and the powerful, so it’s fantastic to have been able to involve local residents and tell some of their stories; many of which I’m sure others will relate to.

“Co-creation between artists and residents adds a truly authentic feel to the exhibit, and we’re delighted to be hosting such a thought-provoking installation.”

Visitors to the exhibition and members of the Rochdale community are also invited to contribute to the exhibition through a series of show-and-tell-days. Your Voice! intends to encourage locals to share their own stories by bringing along their special objects and memories. These can also be submitted at any time through postcards found in the gallery, or online.

Whose Voice? runs at Touchstones Rochdale from Saturday 12 March until Sunday 3 July 2022.

Performances and show-and-tell sessions will take place between 1-4pm on 19 March; 2nd, 16th and 30th April; 14th and 28th May; and 11th and 25th June (all Saturdays).

Further information about Whose Voice? and other upcoming exhibitions at Touchstones can be found here: https://www.yourtrustrochdale.co.uk/exhibitions/