Now, I like this picture, with its mix of different towers.
It was one of a series Andy took at the weekend in Castlefield, beside and around the Rochdale Canal
We will all have our own opinions of the rise and rise of those new towers which have come to dominate the city’s landscape.
I am fully aware of the economic arguments and never want to appear the backward historian.
After all the Victorians and Edwardians did their share of knocking down old buildings to put up their own, which today we can be quite precious about.
But for me these new towers do nothing for their surroundings, after all architecture should be about harmony, and the skill of making the new building feel that it belongs with its neighbours.
And above all not making all of us insignificant blots on the horizon.
So rant over, and moving on, here is one of my favourite buildings along the canal. I have admired it for over 40 years, from when I first wandered down to take photos of what was then a very sad and grimy place.
And just for a minute I thought it had become an art gallery, because there was a sign for the Saul Hay Gallery.
On closer examination I noticed there was that arrow, which pointed to that bit of Collier Street where the gallery is located.
I have to say I missed the arrival of the gallery which “was born out of the passion of its collector founders, Catherine and Ian Hay, and has quickly established itself as one of Manchester's foremost independent art galleries.
In the heart of the city and yet tucked away on the banks of the Rochdale Canal our beautiful gallery offers a wide range of original artworks available to buy”.*
All of which is the thing about adventures, even if they are not your own, and that is the way they can offer up surprises, which in this case was a collection of fine pictures.
Leaving me just to finish where I started with a collection of towers.
Location; Castlefield
Pictures, Castlfield, 2020, from the collection of Andy Robertson
*Saul Hay Gallery, https://www.saulhayfineart.co.uk/
We will all have our own opinions of the rise and rise of those new towers which have come to dominate the city’s landscape.
I am fully aware of the economic arguments and never want to appear the backward historian.
After all the Victorians and Edwardians did their share of knocking down old buildings to put up their own, which today we can be quite precious about.
But for me these new towers do nothing for their surroundings, after all architecture should be about harmony, and the skill of making the new building feel that it belongs with its neighbours.
So rant over, and moving on, here is one of my favourite buildings along the canal. I have admired it for over 40 years, from when I first wandered down to take photos of what was then a very sad and grimy place.
And just for a minute I thought it had become an art gallery, because there was a sign for the Saul Hay Gallery.
On closer examination I noticed there was that arrow, which pointed to that bit of Collier Street where the gallery is located.
I have to say I missed the arrival of the gallery which “was born out of the passion of its collector founders, Catherine and Ian Hay, and has quickly established itself as one of Manchester's foremost independent art galleries.
Leaving me just to finish where I started with a collection of towers.
Location; Castlefield
Pictures, Castlfield, 2020, from the collection of Andy Robertson
*Saul Hay Gallery, https://www.saulhayfineart.co.uk/
No comments:
Post a Comment