“Women Like You”- the first contemporary artwork to celebrate Emmeline Pankhurst: a photo-mosaic portrait of the iconic Suffragette  -  made up of 10,000 individual images of inspiring women -  sent in by members of the public from all corners of the globe, it celebrates the extraordinary lives of ordinary women, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, best friends, doctors, entertainers, politicians, entrepreneurs, teachers, poets, writers, artists and broadcasters.  In short, Women Like You.

It took Charlotte two years to complete, stands 3 metres high and 2.5 metres wide and is regarded as one of the most iconic images of Emmeline Pankhurst today.

Reproduction Posters/Greeting Cards and Postcards of the portrait are available via The Pankhurst Centre.

More information about ‘Women Like You’

• Link to feature on BBC Manchester People and Places
• Women Like You profiled on Radio 4 Woman’s Hour January 2nd 2010
• View the Manchester Art Gallery Exhibition slideshow (PDF)

Background

‘Women Like You’ – developed from “What Manchester Women Want” an exhibition in 2008 for International Women’s Day. Charlotte Newson was commissioned to celebrate the 80th year of women gaining the vote by working with 14 women’s groups across the city and looking at what women want now in comparison with the suffragette movement/issues. The exhibition of the work profiled at Manchester Town Hall on March 8th for International Women’s Day 2008

International Women’s Day 2009 – a consultation process took place regarding the creation of a contemporary portrait of Emmeline Pankhurst which developed into the current commission.

2008: “What Manchester Women Want”

• Exhibition profiled on I.W.D at Manchester Town Hall
• A socially engaged project working with 14 women’s groups across the city

2009: Consultation for “Women Like You” I.W.D. Manchester Town Hall

• 100′s of photographs taken of women attending
• Exhibition “What Manchester Women Want” Manchester Central
• Reference Library

2010: “Women Like You” – A portrait of Emmeline Pankhurst

• 10,000 individual tiles make up this image
• Photos sent in by members of the public of inspirational women
• People’s mums, grandmothers, sisters, best friends, teachers etc
• Celebrating the “extraordinary in the ordinary lives of women”

The focus is the five glowing images, designed to be tactile and to have an inherent dialogue with the materials that hold and surround them, wool, wood and water. A soundtrack of reverberating heartbeats and breathe filled the quietness. The installation can be experienced on both a sensory and intellectual level.

Commission – The International Symposium of Electronic Art –an audio visual installation exploring the notion of technology within the natural world

Supported by

• Manchester Metropolitan University
• British Wool Board

Charlotte Newson began by asking:

“Who Are You?” ©

“When you put your head on your pillow do you become someone else?” ©

Each participant was given a pillow to work with and a wide range of approaches developed: reminiscence, sexuality, sensuality, identity and political viewpoints were explored, collectively forming the final installation which rested on ‘glass beds,’ lit with vibrant magenta and violet filters.

Photographic images of the women generated throughout the project are on permanent display at the centre and feature on the publicity material.

An international public art project in Manchester. Charlotte Newson was commissioned to design a unique cow for the parade. The beautiful “Ruby Moo” was the only nodding cow in the parade. Individuals from the LGBT community worked with her and Ruby Moo was selected as one of four cows to feature inside Manchester Town Hall for the Cow Parade Gala Auction, raising funds for the ‘Manchester Kids’ Charity.

To regenerate an area of wasteland and adjoining sports facility for local communities: Having undertaken a consultation process with residents, Charlotte Newson held a series of workshops with young people and family groups to explore with them what they felt would contribute to their local area. Their input was reflected in the final design by incorporating games and colour into pathway surfaces for the youngest age group, regenerating the sports area with appropriate equipment for teenagers and landscaping the adjacent area for leisure and family time. Charlotte Newson also had the names of local people inscribed onto stainless steel plates set into the pathway surface as one of the fun elements of the games.

Organisations

• Seedly & Langworthy Regeneration programme
• Salford City Council

Situated in the Regimental Chapel of Manchester Cathedral, this piece of work explored the notion of contemplation.

Reflecting on the relationship between war and religion.

The bowls are a symbol of domestic life and nurturing, they offer water and reflection.

Charlotte Newson was commissioned to create a public art work in Salford by Seedly and Langworthy Regeneration programme, exploring the areas history with local communities during the regeneration process.

In consultation with adults and young people, Charlotte Newson approached their shared history of places and era’s through architecture, location, fashion and product design from 1900 – 2000. The photography shoots were held at relevant, local locations and involved local families: we attracted a great deal of interest!

The project successfully engaged the community in the notion of a changing culture and environment.

The final images for each decade were displayed as billboards in Seedley and Langworthy. They measured 12 ft x 4ft each

Charlotte Newson’s role was to develop a creative idea, through workshops and consultation, manage all aspects of the project and deliver the final product within the specified budget and timescale.

An educational element was also designed for schools in the form of a visual history trail: exploring the images to encourage an innovative and creative approach to finding misplaced objects and identifying which era they belonged to; e.g. a plastic ‘Homer Simpson’ figure in one of the 1960’s images.

While you’re here why don’t you see how many you can spot?

Charlotte Newson was awarded a Research and Development grant from A.C.E.N.W. to support her career development and research future proposals, developing into a YOTA bid and an award to create new work. The project received high profile media coverage and featured in North West Tonight/ Granada TV. The first event was a large scale installation that filled an entire market place with projections, animated by live DJs and pyrotechnics from ‘Walk the Plank’. Space Cadets also collaborated: creating dance costumes with young people who performed shadow dances behind the projection screens. The concluding element took place on Gore and de Koning’s Millennium Ferris-Wheel. Pairs of Gondolas were spectacularly adapted to spin and illuminate powerful images of an unusual beauty whilst people rode the wheel. Partington Regeneration programme offered a Residency to develop the work and involve the community.

Artists

• Charlotte Newson
• Space Cadets
• Walk The Plank
• d a Residency to develop the work and involve the community.