Exchanges - Manchester: St Petersburg

Next Year is the 300th anniversary of Manchester's twin city in Russia - St Petersburg. These two historic cities share an industrial heritage and a consequent architectural legacy of large industrial buildings. The research installation 'Exchanges' offers insights into how people in both cities view and value these old industrial buildings, not only in terms of their original, subsequent, and planned future use but also as experienced by their occupants. To expand the range of viewpoints the perspectives of architects, developers and artists in both cities have been layered in alongside the experience of actually visiting these spaces.

By using a range of modes of presentation the installation also contributes to the question of how to constructively record, represent and cross-reference the research for visitors to experience and architects, artists, inhabitants and city administrators to draw upon.

St Petersburg spends large sums of money to conserve the grand palaces that contribute to the tourist attractions of the city, but nothing on old industrial buildings. Dr. Margarita Shtiglitz of the Committee for the Preservation and use of Buildings of History and Culture spearheads the fight to secure their future, and is certain that St Petersburg has a role model in Manchester where she sees such buildings being re-evaluated, regenerated and re-energised into artists' studios, apartments, museums, small businesses, offices, clubs and community facilities.

Exploration of these topical issues is being tackled by TEA who began their research by travelling to St Petersburg armed with a portfolio of images, interviews, videos and other documentation about seven selected industrial buildings in Manchester. This material covered not just the buildings' appearance but through recordings and videos, direct evidence of the value currently attributed to the buildings by their Manchester stakeholders.

The team was based in the huge Red Banner Factory, designed by constructivist Erich Mendelsohn and built 1927-34. Working with employees, architects, and Russian artists, TEA recorded still, video, and audio images culminating in a public staging of the work that also incorporated, to the great interest of the Russians, images and opinions from the seven Manchester buildings. A textile model of the Red Banner Factory was constructed with the help of the workers and is on show as part of the installation.

The research and its exchange mode of documentation continue and can be experienced as a work-in-progress installation at CUBE. It is planned that the 'Exchanges' will continue in July next year as part of Manchester Week's contribution to St Petersburg's anniversary celebrations.

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TEA would like to thank the following for their assistance:
Tom Bloxham, Kate Dickson, emplacements (Francoise Dupre, Gail Pearce, Roxane Permar), Sophie Fosker, Irina Golovenok, Carole Hurd, Mr Hussein, Vicky Jolley, Igor Lebedev, Ray Makin, Paul Mitchell, Fiona Moate, The Museum of Science and Industry (Eleanor Moore), Martin Nash, Tatiana Panova, Dimitry Pilikin, Graeme Russell, Margarita Shtiglitz, Emma Vladimironova.

Project Supporters:
The work originated as part of the emplacements project and is supported by:
North West Arts Board, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Central Lancashire, The British Council, The St Petersburg City Administration, the Komitet for the Preservation and Use of Monuments of History and Culture, The Directorate of the Red Banner Factory, Scanachrome.