THE MODERN BACKDROP AT WORKING CLASS MOVEMENT LIBRARY SALFORD

An exhibition at The Working Class movement Library, Salford opened today Friday  20th January 2023 developed by The University of Salford showing works by one of my favourite female photographers, Salford born, Shirley Baker.

This exhibition is part of The Modern Backdrop project which seeks to analyse the transition of Salford from terraced housing, via slum clearance, to modern social housing projects from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. 

Although there are only 15 photographs in the exhibition they are truly stunning showing the cobbled streets of Salford particularly the Hanky Park area where I grew up and I can so relate to the photos of the children playing in the slum clearance streets, their very own adventure playground.

I would urge you to visit this exhibition if you have a love of Salford or photography or possibly track down a copy of her book, Street Photographs: Manchester and Salford (1989) which contains her photographs of people in Salford and Manchester in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Also a visit to the Working Class Movement Library is highly recommended if you are a serious student or a lover of political struggle with a collection of English language books, periodicals, pamphlets, archives and artefacts, relating to the development of the political and cultural institutions of the working class created by the Industrial Revolution, in Salford,

The Modern Backdrop project is a collaboration between the Modernist Society, the RIBA North West and the University of Salford. It is funded by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Arts.

The temporary exhibition space is open to drop in visitors Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 1.00pm - 4.30pm. Entry is free.  

PLEASE NOTE: The library will be closed from Monday 30th January to Friday 10th February to allow the library team to carry out a collections review as part of the library's strategic development.