Army of sculptures coming to Manchester to pay tribute to NHS workers

A new public art installation celebrating key workers is coming to St Peter's Square this September.

51 sculptures, each designed by UK-based artists and designer,s will make up the installation, with Manchester artists Lei-Mai LeMaow, Guy McKinley and Jodie Silverman joining a raft of other acclaimed UK artists taking part.

The installation - called Gratitude - is by Wild in Art, the team behind Manchester’s Bee in the City art trail in 2018.

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It has been curated in partnership with Dame Zandra Rhodes.

The sculptures will be beset by mirrors, creating infinite reflections of the army of sculptures dedicated to the bravery shown by NHS staff and other key workers over the pandemic.

Real-life stories and poems about key workers will also be shared, with some having been recorded by Manchester actors like Doctor Who’s Christopher Eccleston, Cold Feet’s John Thomson, and Coronation Street’s Shobna Gulati.

A Bee in the City sculpture (Victoria Sharp)

These will include tributes to NHS staff, teachers and transport workers, intending to take attendees ‘on a journey of quiet reflection whilst observing the stunning artwork.’

"Gratitude is set to be a beautiful and striking tribute which celebrates the incredible courage and dedication of the UK’s NHS staff and all key workers,” said Charlie Langhorne, managing director and co-founder of Wild in Art.

St Peters Square (Manchester Evening News)

“We are delighted to be taking our tour to Manchester’s St Peter’s Square.”

Gratitude will debut in Birmingham before arriving in Manchester between September 3 and 12, then will move on to Edinburgh and London.

The sculptures exhibited will then auctioned off afterwards, with ‘substantial proceeds’ donated to the NHS Charities Together.

Though the installation will be free to attend, you’ll have to book an allocated time slot – of which there will be a limited amount for each day.

Time slots for the first public opening on St Peters Square will be available to book from 10am on August 13 here.

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