Chapel Street Reclamation by Tim Garner

Chapel Street Reclamation by Tim Garner
Chapel Street Reclamation by Tim Garner

'Chapel Street Reclamation' is one of Tim Garner's many fond paintings of Salford. Garner is particularly drawn to the lesser-known areas of Manchester - he often favours painting these areas over the typical landmarks of the city centre. To Garner, these are the areas that have the most character, and there is an urgency for him to capture these echoes of the cityscape, which are disappearing over time.

'Chapel Street Reclamation' is one of Tim Garner's many fond paintings of Salford. Garner is particularly drawn to the lesser-known areas of Manchester - he often favours painting these areas over the typical landmarks of the city centre. Placed on ground level with the pedestrians, we are presented with a row of red brick shops and houses. Candy floss skies loom over the traffic, contrasting to the gritty setting of the red-brick architecture of the street below. To Garner, these are the areas that have the most character, and there is an urgency for him to capture these echoes of the cityscape, which are disappearing over time. Those familiar with Manchester will be aware of how rapidly the cityscape changes - new builds are often assembled at the expense of the city's most historical structures. With family from Salford, it is a place close to Garner's heart, and one he portrays fondly. Garner's own personal memories of Salford are reflected in the sincerity of this piece - Garner clearly knows this area like the back of his hand, and is respectful of its rich history. He understands the importance of community and identity within working class communities such as Salford - he ensures that he handles his subject with care and honesty, and pays ode to the spaces that otherwise go forgotten. “It’s a value I try to adhere to – the principal ethics of making art – being honest with your viewer” Although to locals, this is undoubtedly a painting of Salford, it could also be an image of any Northern town. Both nondescript yet simultaneously familiar, Garner's oeuvre is full of contrasts that keep us constantly engaged, and yearning to know and understand more. Garner's works highlight the anti-landmarks of the city, the scenes that go forgotten - he tries to find the magic within these spaces, turning them into pieces of history that demand our time and attention. Imbued with contradiction, his works have a way of capturing both the stillness and movement of a city in a way that gives each work its own sense of life and agency. Garner works with a combination of industrial materials including metals and cement to appropriate the physicality of the city, capturing the dirt and grit of the Northern city streets, paired with a colour palette of metallics and iridescent paints to imbue texture, light and depth. His works are made through a rigorous process of applying layer upon layer of thinly mixed ground paint onto the surface, taking any time from ten days to three weeks to complete. Through this process, Garner has created his own pieces of Mancunian history, which would be a valuable addition to any art collection.

Based in his home studio in Stockport, Tim Garner is an artist who captures cityscapes through his own avant-garde lens. Inspired from his time living between Manchester and Paris, Garner works from photography and photo collage as his primary references, taking advantage of their visual immediacy and accuracy. Paint and cement are then used as a way of injecting emotive layers of meaning, forming Garner's distinctive style and flair. Through this process Garner has established his own visual language, which is imbued with character. His works are comfortingly familiar to a Northern audience, whilst enlightening and educating wider audiences. A piece of Mancunian history, this artwork would be a valuable asset for any contemporary art space, collection or home.