Stretford Town Centre and Bruntwood have launched a people-powered, immersive exhibition that documents a year in the life of Stretford. Made up entirely of Polaroids taken by the people of Stretford over the course of a year-long ‘photo-relay’, the exhibition, curated by artist Simon Buckley of Not Quite Light, is a love letter to the town from the people that live there.
How it began
In July 2021, members of the Stretford community, along with Simon and the Stretford Town Centre team embarked upon a journey to document a year in the life of Stretford, seen through the eyes of those who live in the town.
Simon worked with each resident to teach them how to capture the perfect photograph on the Polaroid camera which was gifted to the community by Bruntwood and Trafford Council. After the first session, the photographic relay began, and each week participants took their turn with the camera, capturing their own ‘photo diary’ of their life and town centre that week.
The ‘From Stretford With Love’ exhibition will be unveiled at Stretford Public Hall on 16th February when the photographers from the community will be invited for a special preview.
Each collection of photographs has been curated by Simon Buckley and will be shown alongside a soundscape of voices from participants mixed with a specially created soundtrack of Stretford.
The material captures a huge range of experiences and viewpoints, with each artist bringing their own unique vision as to what life in Stretford is like for them. From family tea and community parades to signage, landmarks, beloved pets and long-lost graves. The resulting collection is a rich social and artistic record of life in the town.
Together, the imagery and the soundscapes will create an authentic, immersive, people-powered tribute to Stretford via this one-of-a-kind exhibition.
Whilst ‘From Stretford With Love’ is a passion project dedicated to a town rooted in community spirit, it is also a celebration of the exciting changes to come over the coming years as part of Bruntwood and Trafford Council’s plans to transform Stretford Town Centre.
Andrea George, Bruntwood’s Director of Town Centres & Consumer Brands, said:“From Stretford With Love” is dedicated to the local community and is a celebration of all things Stretford. Every single person who has taken part has contributed to the beauty of this portrayal of everyday life, and the images have come together to create a stunning collection. A big thanks must go to the participants and to Simon Buckley who has worked tirelessly to bring the whole project together. It’s a tribute that will stand the test of time and Bruntwood is immensely proud to be a part of it.”
Simon Buckley added:“I’m genuinely delighted by the final collection of polaroid images, and the stories they tell when all placed together. The project encapsulates a moment in time creating a unique view of everyday life through both images and sounds. Stretford has an extraordinary community spirit, and this is very evident when you see the work, and the enthusiasm with which it was created.”
From “Stretford With Love” is free to view and will be on display to the public from 17th February at Stretford Public Hall. It will eventually live permanently at a location in Stretford Town Centre.
