" Sitting On The Front Row At The Whitworth...."

A friend and I really WERE on the Front Row.....while watching a recording of R4's"Front Row".... at the newly vamped Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester......( see 1st picture, last picture)

On the Panel, led by John Wilson, were: Maria Balshaw ( Director of Whitworth) also artist Cornelia Parker ( see her work in 2nd picture)  also Barrie Rutter ( founder/artistic director of Northern Broadsides) plus Daniel Evans and one of my favourites, actor Richard Wilson.

Catastrophe hit when fire bells rang loud just a few minutes into the recording..... ( "Would you Believe it!") and the recording was halted. Everyone trouped into the cold outside for a good 15 mins while the Gallery was inspected. Turns out the culprit was " dust in the doings"...not surprising, considering the fantastic building/redesigning work that's taken place,

The " new" Whitworth ( cost 15 mill) is a light, spaciously fabulous place. It's utterly 21st Century with wide-open spaces, its exhibitions ( see 3rd picture) its glass, its viewings....... but marvellously, it retains glimpses and echoes of  its precious Victorian Mancunian roots.......