Misshaping Peterloo

Thu 23 May – Sat 7 Sep 2019

Free, no booking required.

Misshaping Peterloo focuses on the idea of commemorative souvenirs. Peterloo was one of the first major political events to be commemorated on transfer printed pottery, and key examples of these pieces are kept in museums and galleries in the city including Manchester Art Gallery and People’s History Museum.

Sometimes, for example in the case of a royal wedding or royal birth, commemorative souvenirs are months in the planning. Sometimes, as in the case of Peterloo, manufacturers and entrepreneurs work quickly through the night to create something that will both commemorate the event and appeal to collectors, generating a lasting reminder for customers as well as a healthy profits.

Manchester Craft & Design Centre have commissioned illustrator and ceramicist Alex Sickling to create a collection inspired by the fateful events of 16 August 1819. Working with ideas around “radical ceramics”, how and why we commemorate disaster and political events, finding humour in dark times and how key facts become distorted when meeting a deadline, this exhibition will look at Peterloo from the eyes of the collectors, enthusiasts and consumers.

Photo credit: Alex Sickling.