Stockport Art Gallery...

I was at Stockport Art Gallery this afternoon to attend Stockport Photographic Society's annual presentation event. They very kindly honoured my Associate distinction from the Royal Photographic Society that I achieved earlier this year. The Art Gallery is a grand, Grade II listed, Neo-Classical building located on the main A6 road between Stockport and Manchester. The imposing colonnaded entrance is an unmissable landmark. The gallery opened in 1925 and was built entirely from money raised from voluntary public subscriptions. Inside, is an amazing war memorial; The Hall Of Memory. A semi-circular, chapel-like vault with a commanding life-size sculpture made of white marble. The sculpture is of Britannia draped with a flag, holding in her right hand the sword of honour and in her left the laurel wreath of the victor. Before her is a kneeling figure symbolic of the men who fell in the war. The names of the fallen of both world wars are inscribed on marble tablets on the chapel walls. This is brilliant example of architecture, history and a public honouring their brave and fallen loved ones. Staggeringly, the gallery was almost closed indefinitely last year due to lack of funding, thankfully it's future now appears to be more secure. I am also proud and excited to have my own exhibition here in a few weeks time and I'll have some details on that shortly.