Nowgen hosts Fingerprints Exhibition

Fingerprints is an exhibition created by local adults with learning disabilities who work with a community group, Venture Arts, based in Hulme. Venture Arts has worked with Lime Art and Nowgen to produce innovative, unique and eye-catching pieces using the artists’ own fingerprints. The project used a number of techniques, including pinhole photography, mosaics and textiles to produce a long-term installation for The Nowgen Centre. Lime Art has provided artistic backing to the new hospital development arts programme, helping with 15 major art commissions; further commissions are being planned.

Commenting on the exhibition, Venture Arts Manager, Amanda Sutton, said,

“One of the really exciting things about this exhibition is that it will be at The Nowgen Centre for a long time and will therefore been seen by a large number of people, many of whom would not normally see our work. It’s been excellent for us to work with both Lime and Nowgen because it’s taken our work in a really different direction in terms of both the content and the setting. All the staff and students at Ventures Arts have found it a very positive experience and we hope to do more of this work in the future.”

Brian Chapman, Director of Lime Art, said,
“This has been a very rewarding project to work on, and I am very grateful to our volunteer Judith Todd who got it going. What we share with Venture Arts is an uncompromising commitment to the highest artistic standards. Venture Arts has a tremendous creative ambition for its students, and working with them in this setting has been a very enriching process for all involved. By taking a simple fingerprint as our basis we have been able to demonstrate what we all have in common, as well as what makes us individual, and anyone visiting this exhibition will see how very talented these students are.”

Fingerprints Exhibition Case Study

Robert Dixon

40 year old Robert lives in Longsight with his foster family. He has been coming to Venture Arts for 18 months. As well as having his fingerprint piece on display at The Nowgen Centre, Robert also has work displayed at The Manchester City Art Gallery, and shortly at The People’s History Museum.

Robert also works in Central Manchester University Hospitals. He works on the refreshments trolley, taking drinks and snacks around the wards. In fact, recently he surprised Venture Arts photography tutor Martin Liversey who was on one of Robert’s wards for a minor operation.

Robert says, “I am proud of my art in the gallery, and having it here means my friends from work can see it too.”