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A century of Brighouse on canvas and camera

Bridge End painting by Miles Sharp

A new exhibition at Smith Art Gallery, Brighouse, will tell the fascinating story of the town through paintings and photographs from the past 100 years.

‘A Town Through Time’ opens on Saturday 19 October and will feature artwork from Calderdale Council’s museums collections, including works by talented Brighouse artists Miles Sharp and Stanley Chapman. Miles and Stanley were both long-standing members of the Brighouse Art Circle, a community group that still meets today.

Newly produced photographs by the Halifax Photographic Society will also be on display. The Society has recreated scenes from historic artworks of Brighouse to bring up-to-date the story of everyday life and ongoing change in the town. For example, a new photo of the distinctive ROKT Climbing Gym and an old photo of the former Sugden’s Mill (which was transformed into the gym) show the changes in Brighouse’s skyline.

Cllr Susan Press, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, said:

“We’re excited to welcome this new exhibition to Smith Art Gallery. It will give people the chance to learn more about Brighouse through the decades, reminisce, reflect on local heritage and see exciting new works. Calderdale is becoming known as a cultural destination, and ‘A Town Through Time’ is the latest addition to the borough’s thriving arts scene.”

The exhibition has been supported by the Friends of the Rydings community group, which has contributed towards the re-framing of the Council’s collection of Miles Sharp watercolours.

An opening event at Smith Art Gallery will launch the exhibition on Saturday 19 October at 10am, and will include a talk from Mike Bentley of the Halifax Photographic Society about the experience of working on this project.

‘A Town Through Time’ runs until Monday 20 April 2020 at Smith Art Gallery in Brighouse and entry is free. Visit https://museums.calderdale.gov.uk/ for opening hours and location and accessibility details, as well as information about other exhibitions and events at museums across Calderdale.

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