We’ve got another packed programme in store for you this quarter as we enjoy our last few months in the building and celebrate the 30-year legacy we take with us to HOME.
In the galleries, our closing exhibition Playtime continues until Sun 15 March. Featuring no fewer than nine international artists, this group show bids a playful farewell to the building we’ve called home since 1985, with new and adapted works that respond to and celebrate the iconic space. Playtime takes its cue from Jacques Tati’s 1967 film of the same name, in which the architecture of a dizzyingly modern Paris makes for a series of elaborate audio visual gags. If you haven’t managed to see the exhibition yet, you can expect everything from a bouncing door obstacle course to a musical indoor swing set – make sure you don’t miss it.
On Sat 4 April, Playtime culminates in The Storming, a two-part event devised by artist Humberto Vélez. In part one, which takes inspiration not only from Tati’s Playtime but also from the 1920 Russian mass-action performance The Storming of Winter Palace, Manchester’s diverse cultural communities will descend upon the building, storming the entrance for a specially commissioned performance. After a short intermission, part two will see DJs from the city’s past and present music scene give the building a truly unique send-off.
Until then, this quarter brings some amazing new film releases to our screens. Highlights include Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), which stars Michael Keaton as a washed-up actor who longs to return to the superhero role he is famed for; Theory of Everything, the fascinating story of one of the world’s greatest minds, Stephen Hawking; and Whiplash, the tale of a young musician determined to rise to the top and the tough-love teacher whose lessons change him forever.
We’re also giving you the chance to take the reins for our closing season of film, That’s a Wrap, by nominating titles from your Cornerhouse past to return to the big screen. However, there is a twist – we don’t want to know why it was a great film, we want you to tell us the story behind watching it at Cornerhouse – why was it memorable? Did you see someone famous in the cinema? Was it your first date with your husband/wife? (You get the idea). We’ll be choosing the winners based on the best stories, so make ‘em good!
Finally, we’ve come a long way since opening our doors and we’re very much looking forward to continuing our work at HOME. Our opening weekend plans are coming together – we hope you’ll join us to celebrate and get a taste of the amazing things to come.
Download a PDF of our January – March guide here.