Museums & Music

HOME Opening - The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things

Manchester's newest neighborhood, First Street,  launched into its opening weekend over the last couple of days. HOME was one of the first buildings in the cultural hub to open, with 'The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things' exhibition opening on Friday night. HOME's inaugural exhibition centers around heartbreak and desire. We are all connected through affairs of the heart and 'The Heart Is Deceitful' can speak to each visitor in a very unique way. 

The exhibition is an eclectic collection of art that includes digital video installations, photography, prints and a temporary tattoo vending machine. 'The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things' is a fitting exhibition to open HOME, a touching subject that can be very close to the bone for some people but also incites reminiscence of both happy and bittersweet memories. 

Douglas Coupland's 'Slogans for the 21st Century' seemed to be a particularly popular piece; a large collection of prints shouting out slogans that particularly relate to the 21st Century individual. Most exhibition visitors spent a while drifting in front of the piece reading the slogans that could be humorous one minute and food-for-thought the next. 

Gemma Parker's 'The Tattooed Lady' was also constantly surrounded with admirers. Modeled to reflect a 20th century penny arcade machine, 'The Tattooed Lady' became a tattoo lucky-dip for its admirers; the audience were invited to turn the handle and dispense their tattoo, an attendant was on hand to apply the tattoos instantly (and yes of course I got one!). 

The exhibition opening seemed to be a success with a large attendance and both the cafe and restaurant packed out with excitable visitors. (It's on the list to visit very soon!) The menu is apparently very similar to the original Cornerhouse menu and I have previously had a very nice pizza there so hope is high for HOME's First Floor Cafe Bar. HOME's opening weekend has definitely gone off with a bang and seems set to become a primary cultural location for Manchester's newest neighborhood.