Holly Graham: The Warp / The Weft / The Wake at Manchester Art Gallery

Maja Lorkowska, Exhibitions Editor
This image features a close-up of fabric with intricate, marbled patterns in various colors. The patterns resemble the swirling designs found in traditional marbling art. The fabrics display a range of tones, including dark greys, blues, teals, yellows, and red accents, creating a vibrant and textured appearance. The folds in the fabric highlight the material's flow and emphasize the rich detail of the designs.
Holly Graham

Holly Graham: The Warp / The Weft / The Wake at Manchester Art Gallery, City Centre 14 February 2025 — 15 February 2026 Entrance is free — Visit now

Manchester Art Gallery presents: Holly Graham: The Warp / The Weft / The Wake, an exhibition resulting from the artist’s long-term residency and related research focused on exploring the ways in which memory and narrative shape collective histories. Graham accessed the city archives and looked into the gallery’s history to highlight legacies of expansionism, colonialism and exploitative labour inherent to the history of cotton.

The new work on display is realised in the form of a Victorian style cotton printed costume, modelled on the silhouette of a dress worn by African American abolitionist Sarah Parker Remond, and co-created with her mother Jennifer Graham, who used to work as a costumier. The display will remain in dialogue with the gallery site and its archives, taking a closer look at the textile collections the legacy of the cotton industry.

 

Holly Graham: The Warp / The Weft / The Wake at Manchester Art Gallery, City Centre 14 February 2025 — 15 February 2026 Entrance is free Visit now

Accessibility

  • Captioned
  • Dementia-friendly
  • Parent and Baby
  • Relaxed

What's on at Manchester Art Gallery

Where to go near Holly Graham: The Warp / The Weft / The Wake at Manchester Art Gallery

Salut Wines
Chinatown
Bar or Pub
Salut Wines

Salut wines pride themselves in offering “wider horizons beyond the safe choices.” With 42 wines by the glass and a regularly changing selection of bottles in their Enomatic wine preservation machines (or  “wine jukebox,” as they’re colloquially known), this is one of be best bars in Manchester for exploring new vintages.

St Peters Square Manchester
City Centre
St Peter’s Square

St Peter’s Square is a public space in Manchester – home to the city’s iconic library, town hall, Pankhurst statue, art gallery and famous Midland Hotel.

Manchester Central Library
Manchester
Library
Manchester Central Library

The stunning Manchester Central Library is now back open for all visitors who wish to browse the enormous collection or simply relax in this magnificent building.

Chinatown
Restaurant
Manchester Art Gallery Cafe

Summery bakes, seasonal salads and fresh light meals at Manchester Art Gallery’s in-house café, courtesy of highly-regarded Head Chef Matthew Taylor.

Chinatown
Hotel
The Alan

This high-end city-centre restaurant has an excellent afternoon tea option that more than matches up to the superb main menu.

Contemporary Six, art gallery in Manchester
City Centre
Gallery
Contemporary Six

Contemporary Six is an independent commercial art gallery in Manchester city centre, set up by Alex Reuben in 2010.

King Street Town House Hotel in Manchester
City Centre
Hotel
King Street Townhouse Hotel

Boasting Manchester’s first rooftop infinity pool, the King Street Townhouse Hotel offers visitors panoramic views across the city. And, with so much to choose from, all Manchester needs now is a little sunshine…

Manchester
Shop
Siam Smiles

Now based at the Great Northern, Siam Smiles is a food stop that’s hot on everyone’s lips.

Chinatown
Restaurant
Yang Sing

One of the most well-known Chinese restaurants in Manchester, Yang Sing has been feeding Mancunians for forty years.

City Centre
Restaurant
Blinker

Elegant cocktail bar in the centre of Manchester, with a relaxed atmosphere and wonderfully friendly staff.

What's on: Exhibitions

Wolf in Yellowstone
Until
ExhibitionsManchester
Wild at Manchester Museum

Manchester Museum explores the concept of ‘wild’ nature as a means of tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis in a new exhibition.

free entry

Culture Guides

NEXT: A Primer on Urban Painting production still
Cinema in the North

Street art, LGBTQ+ History Month, and the first film festivals of the year are amongst our cinema highlights this month.

Good Fridaze Family Social at Freight Island
Family things to do in the North

As we edge towards spring we take a look at the best events and activities for families, from theatre to festivals, dinosaur adventures to family raves.

A painting of a young child being bathed in a sink of a 197s style kitchen. Around the sink are a rubber duck, a bottle of  washing up liquid, a jug, a kettle and a mug.
Exhibitions in the North

Galleries are racing to announce new exhibitions so check out our top picks, from art films and nostalgic paintings to Hockney's collages.

Poet Evan Jones
Literature Events in the North

Some of our favourite leftfield live literature regulars are back with their first events of the year – we’ve picked a weird and wonderful heap we think you’ll love.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Feminist farce, a magical circus show and Oldham Coliseum return with a brand-new off-site show. All in our latest theatre guide.

FKA TWIGS
Music in the North

Masters of minimalism, leftfield electronica and cutting edge pop. We bring you the lot in our latest live music round up.