Reflections on the Bolton Observed Showcase by Dave Morgan
Around one hundred and fifty people attended the Bolton Observed event run on Saturday 15 March by Live from Worktown as part of the Bolton Town of Culture Gala Day.
The imposing subterranean lecture theatre in the Central Library gave the event an added dimension, shown to its best by the Choir of Westhoughton who punctuated the programme with five moving renditions of songs such as Keane’s Rise Up and Guy Garvey’s Beautiful Day.
On either side there was poetry and music by Dave Morgan and Kevin Bates and folk music by Laura Kovaleva and Nat Clare. However a significant part of the audience had come to hear the results of the Our Cultural Landmarks photographic competition organised by Julia Uttley and judged by Don Tonge who provided a commentary on every shortlisted entry.
The photographs also illustrated Bolton Observed, an anthology of writings about contemporary Bolton, edited by Dave Morgan and Romina Ramos, which was launched with selected readings by guests, Ian Aspinall, Louise Wilson. Martin Thomasson and Lynn Jelly.
An ambitious soundscape called We are Bolton, extracted from Live from Worktown’s radio show, Side Door, was accompanied with music by Peter Firth and Michael Chadwick and visuals incorporating all the photos entered to the Our Cultural Landmarks competition.
The event was rounded off by a set of songs from writer/musician Michael Chadwick who took an affectionate, witty and sometimes tongue in cheek look at the town, its people and its heritage. This perfectly book-ended the day with an informed account which opened proceedings by Matthew Watson, Museum Access Officer in Art and Social History, of the Worktown Mass Observation Studies and their inspiration to generations of artists exhibiting in Bolton Museum and Art Gallery. All in all, a packed programme and an appreciative audience.
Dave Morgan, Live from Worktown
Replays
If you missed the showcase or wish to replay an aspect from the afternoon, we have made some of our content available on line:
To view the Our Cultural Landmarks online photography gallery, please click here.
To watch the We are Boltonsoundscape sculpture, please click here.
Click here to view Matthew Watson’s introductory presentation on the influences of Mass Observation on artists since the 1930s.
The Bolton Observed Anthology is available to buy for £5.00 plus £2.50 postage in our online shop, here.
Acknowledgements
We’d like the thank all the people involved in the showcase event and especially Bolton Library and Museum Services for all the support throughout all our preparations and the event itself.
