Salford art gallery, Paradise Works, is hosting a new exhibition about ‘Millenial’ art. 

The exhibition, ‘Millennialism’, aims to ‘counteract the negativity towards a generation’ and celebrate what the generation and Millennial artists have achieved. 

Emily Simpson, a curator for the exhibition said: ‘We were thinking about what a generation has changed and shaped. We wanted to re-shape that conversation and take ownership of it because often, the conversation about Millennial is […] not very complimentary.’ 

 

Miss Simpson added: ‘We interviewed the artists about their feelings towards being a Millennial artist and made a mindmap of what they’d come up with. But it is also open for the public to add to – hopefully to spark more debate. 

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A Millennial is someone who was born between 1981 and the late nineties. Miss Simpson, a Millennial herself said: ‘We remember both the analogue days, pre-internet but we’re completely native because we grew up online as well.’ 

The Millennial-lead exhibition re-thinks social hierarchies, sexuality, gender and power.

Miss Simpson said: ‘It’s a generation which has changed the landscape of art because it’s a completely different world we live in now from when our parents were in the same boat as us.’ 

Miss Simpson continued: ‘We have less job security, income and less property and possessions but that has given artists a different kind of freedom and different kind of priorities.’ 

She said with the political and economic landscape having changed, it is only natural that the art will change with it. 

Will Marshall, co-curator said: ‘Instagram has completely evolved how artists network. It’s a visual network for a visual medium.’ 

Miss Simpson added: ‘It bypasses some of the hierarchies of the art world. It is quite democratic in that sense.’

The exhibition is free to attend and is open Saturday 19th and 26th October with a ‘Millennial gamesnight’ taking place on 22nd October and a Z-making workshop happening on 19th October. 

Miss Simpson hopes that the event  ‘is relatable to a lot of different people and it is not exclusive to Millennials.’ 

Photo Credit – Abigail Major

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