True Faith Exhibition | Manchester Art Gallery

After receiving our summer brief, we also were given activities and recommended reading to do over the summer so that we could be as prepared as possible to start year 2 of Fashion Communication and Promotion. One of the recommended activities was to visit the 'True Faith' exhibition at the Manchester Art Gallery. Before I went to this exhibition in Manchester all I knew was that it was about an iconic punk group in Manchester. I don't listen to this genre of music therefore it was all new to me. Therefore I had no clue what to expect.

First thing I did before going to the exhibition is do some research before to see what the exhibition was about. 'True Faith' was created to tribute to the influential career of punk rock band Joy Division, as well as the bands rebranding as 'New Order' after the exit of Ian Curtis. The exhibition shows the transition from the dark and heartfelt lyrics of Joy Division to the more synth pop dance friendly sound of New Order. The exhibition featured posters, archival material and video from the last 40 years. Also, it included a selection of music videos which show the brands revolutionary approach to creating promotional material through collaborations with unique artists and film makers. 

Initially I was disheartened that I didn't know as much about the history of the musicians and bands that were mentioned as I had never heard of them before attending this exhibition. As well as this,I thought that I was doing an injustice to them as I wasn't appreciating the history that was built by these icons. However, after visiting I have to say that it definitely was inspiring in ways that were unexpected. Despite the fact that I couldn't truly appreciate the history, I was appreciating the pieces from a creative point of view. I was truly inspired by the graphics and fashion of this iconic era. Art was a focal point of this band and they translated a lot of their messages to their fans through this medium.  
My favourite pieces from the exhibition

1) Huge Wall Piece

When you first walk into the exhibition, you are greeted by this huge photograph covering an entire wall. Instantly I gravitated towards this image, not just because of its size, but because of the editing. I liked how this image didn't use a typical black and white monochromatic colour scheme but rather a cream and off black colour scheme. Even though this isn't as harsh as black and white, it still provided a strong contrast, making it eye catching. In addition to this, I think the use of these colours helped to reiterate the fact that this is an old image, as the use of cream adds a discoloured effect making the image look dated. 

Primary Image From The Exhibition 

2)The Notebook

My second favourite piece is a notebook. It shows the handwriting from Joy Division's and New Order's manager, Rob Gretton. In this notebook, he jotted down the ideas and thoughts that helped to shape the direction that he wanted the band to go in. I thought this piece was really iconic and crucial as it truly marks the beginning of the brand that is Joy Division and Factory Records. 

Manager Rob Gretton's Original Notebook 

Here are some other photographs that I took from the exhibition: 

All in all, I thought that all of the pieces included in the exhibition were really interesting. After going, I really want to research this brand more on historical and musical level as I found this exhibition inspiring. 

Thanks for reading.