EXHIBITIONS on from Wednesday, February 11 to Wednesday, Febuary 18.

Artzu Gallery - Virginia House, 5 Gt Ancoats St, M4 (228 3001).
To 31 Mar. Emotional Landscape - Abstract urban landscape' by Janice Levy is highlighted in this commercial space.
Tue-Sat 11am-6pm.

Astley Cheetham Art Gallery - Trinity Street, Stalybridge, Tameside (338 2708).
To 10 Mar. Land - Claire Parr shows what photography can do here by picturing nature up close and personal. In capturing detail like dewdrops or the grain texture of rough stone, or simply reflected light itself, Parr produces beauteous imagery that lends itself to abstraction.
Mon-Wed/Fri 10am-12.30pm; 1pm-5pm; Sat 9am-4pm

Blyth Gallery - Amazon House, Brazil Street, M1 (236 1004).
To 28 Feb. Spectrum - A rare mix here of an artist working with glass beside a painter. Wayne Charmer grapples with the tricky medium of glass to create 3-D objects for the gallery context and the home. Mohamed A. Abumesis is a recent arrival to Manchester (in order to take an MA in Painting) who has exhibited internationally for over a decade and commands an exceptional talent.
Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat 11am-3pm.

Bolton Museum, Art Gallery and Aquarium - Le Mans Crescent, Bolton, Lancashire, (01204 332211 ).
To 1 Jul. Water, Water - Revelations from the collection that share the themes and motifs that water may provide.
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Closed Bank Holidays.

Castlefield Gallery - 2 Hewitt Street, Knott Mill, M15 4GB (832 8034).
13 Feb - 28 Mar. Mark Leckey: Parade - Catch this touring show of photography and moving image as it pauses in Manchester.
Wed/Fri-Sun 1pm-6pm; Thu 1pm-8pm.

Central Art Gallery - Old Street, Ashton-u-Lyne, (342 2650).
To 28 Feb. J Chuhan: Parampara Portraits - One of the leading British painters of Asian descent', Chuhan presents this -surprisingly?- unprecedented body of portraiture. Promoting new perceptions as befits the younger British-South Asian generation (as distinct from the older generation of the South Asian diaspora), the portraits depict individuals who are making 'groundbreaking contributions in a range of professions. Tue-Wed/Fri 10am-5pm; Thu 1pm-7.30pm; Sat 9am-4pm.

Centre for the Understanding of the Built Environment (CUBE) - 113-115 Portland Street, M1 (237 5525).
To 8 Mar. Best Studio & Design Berlin! New Projects for a Changing City - Part of CUBE's 5th birthday celebrations. Concurrently, CUBE shows are occurring in New York and Liverpool -expressing the venue's intention to engage people in outreach mode.
Mon-Fri 12noon-5.30pm; Sat 12noon-5pm.

Chapman Gallery - Chapman Building, Salford University, The Crescent, Salford, M5 (295 5241).
From 14 Feb. 20 - A whopper of a show. 20 Salford-based artists, in collaboration with the local communities, have dreamed up visions of potential public art that could enrich the overlooked side of the river. Mon-Fri 10am-4pm.

Chinese Arts Centre - Market Buildings, M4 (832 7271).
To 22 Feb. Home - Here, five contemporary artists from three continents speak from the Asian experience of diaspora and beyond, hinting at future representations. They’ve been linked, purposefully, by the nebulous notion of ‘home’: its multiple meanings and shifting significance.
Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; Sun & Bank Hols 11am-5pm.

Colin Jellicoe Gallery - 82 Portland Street, M1 (236 2716).
To 15 May. New Work by Gallery Artists - Innumerable artists showing for a good selection at reasonable prices.
Tue-Fri 12pm-5pm & Sat 1pm-5pm.

Cornerhouse - 70 Oxford Street, (228 7621).
To 22 Feb. Zineb Sedira: Telling Stories With Difference - Photographs, films, and installation offer visual form to Sedira's personalised narrative. Though overtly autobiographical pieces, some of the content -like the focus on female relationships within families- could well have resonance with a wider audience.
Tue-Sat 12pm-6pm.

Colin Jellicoe Gallery - 82 Portland Street, M1 (236 2716).
To 15 May. New Work by Gallery Artists - Innumerable artists showing for a good selection at reasonable prices.
Tue-Fri 12pm-5pm & Sat 1pm-5pm.

Cotton Mill Gallery - Poolbank Street, Middleton, (0161 6430471).
To 14 April. Beware of False Prophets, All is Not What it Seems - A self-starter, Russ Moorhouse has opened this gallery venture in order to unveil his own loosely figurative painting that has the power to amuse and/or bemuse alongside the work of others that may not get an outing elsewhere.
Tue-Sat 11am-5pm.

Drumcroon Art Centre - 2 Parsons Walk, Wigan, WN1 (01942 321840).
To 26 Mar. Mandala Raga - Painting plus collage that conjures with the ancient worlds as much as contemporary art and its context. For in this showing visitors will become aware of a purposeful merging of diverse talent. Caroline Jariwala, Nikki Parmenter and 'The Singh Twins' source from traditional roots -Hindu, Christian and Sikh, respectively- alongside the contemporary world that they, collectively, find themselves developing in.
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.

Floating Ip - 8 Loom Street, Ancoats, M4 (07979 363698).
To 20 Feb. Maria Lindberg - The press bumpf declaims these pieces to be 'wry interventions and drawings' from a Swedish national who's showing in Manchester for the first time. Välkommen! (if only we knew Swedish like they know English.
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.

Gallery Oldham - Greaves Street, Oldham, OL1 (911 4653).
To 28 Feb. Some Exercises of Power - Absorbing figurative pieces from Brazilian sculptor, Ana Maria Pacheco. This show focuses on the (mis)use of power in master-servant scenarios -some of which seem strangely familiar.
To 6 Mar. Nick Danziger: The British - Photography that offers something of a contemporary survey of the British. Danziger uses a simple style that merges documentary with portraiture. And here he juxtaposes people in power (the Prime Minister, a Judge, the Editor of The Times) with ordinary, everyday folk for a jarring effect.
To 24 Apr. A Comet Rushing to the Sun - Sub-titled 'William Stott of Oldham, 1857-1900' this posthumous retrospective glances over the contribution of this artist of local interest who'd spent time in Paris before it had become a Bohemian cliche to do so.
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm.

Imperial War Museum North - Trafford Wharf Road, Trafford Park, Manchester 17, (876 2000).
To 4 Apr. Für Das Kind - Rosie Potter and Patricia Ayre present photography 'for' 10,000 Jewish children who, over 60 years ago, were brought to England to escape the Nazis. The 23 images show the suitcases that the subjects arrived with.
To 7 Jun. Stanley Spencer and Patricia McKinnon-Day: Shipbuilding - Spencer, a renowned war artist, is here coupled with contemporary artist, McKinnon-Day to good effect. The former provides a sterling record of this often overlooked -but key- industry of old. Meanwhile the latter weighs in with a heavyweight piece which suggests that shipbuilding might be remembered in surprising ways.
Mon-Sun 10am-6pm.

Lowry - Salford Quays, M5 (0870 111 2000).
To 29 Feb. Christmas Cribs from Poland - From Krakow comes these 'portable theatres for puppet shows.' Richly decorated, they are based on religious spaces.
To 7 Mar. 2D>3D Design For Theatre and Performance - Costume, set and lighting designs' that reveal the process from 2D sketches and storyboards via 3D models to the stage.
To 4 Jul. A City's Pride - The largest ever showing of Lowrys under one roof. Some have never been shown before and others are just plain unusual, as, 'Lowry often drew on anything that came to hand and there are plenty of examples of his rapid drawings on scraps of paper, demonstrating the obsessive and compulsive nature of his art.' Of course, there are oils here too.
Sun-Wed 11am-5pm; Thu-Sat 11am-7.30pm.

Manchester Art Gallery - Mosley Street, M2 (235 8888).
To 14 Mar. Rosy Cheeks and Harsh Realities: A Country Childhood - Looking at 19th century watercolours: a period and a medium that are much to blame for moulding, and upholding misconceptions that have implications for art specifically, as well as broader implications for culture and people themselves, that linger to this day.
To 27 Mar. Kath Lowe: Routine and Ritual - A close-up view of everyday objects that merge the secular and sacred worlds (e.g. from a toothbrush to a talisman).
To 1 Jun. Impressionists and Edwardians - Highlighting the best, from the in-house the collection, of Impressionist painting. The artists include Renoir, Gaugin, Pissarro and Sisley. Worth a glance if you're strolling through this venue.
Tue-Sun 10am-5pm & Bank hols.

Ordsall Hall Museum - Taylorson Street, Salford, (872 0251).
To 7 Mar. Made in Salford - An assortment of objects to celebrate a century of this city's creativity. The past, present and future are invoked via artists and craftspeople. Plus, you can have your say via an interactive installation.
Mon-Fri 10am-4pm; Sun 1pm-4pm.

People's History Museum - Left Bank, Bridge Street, M3 (839 6061).
To 25 Apr. Reds! The Story of the Communist Party of Great Britain - This rangy exhibition uses objects, photos, oral histories and old film footage in order to tell the rise-and-fall narrative of a political party.
Tue-Sun 11am-4.30pm. Children/Conc. free; £1 adults but FREE on Fridays.

Philips Contemporary Art Gallery - Studio 10 10 Little Lever Street.
To 31 Dec. Ongoing - Ever present, here, is rare quality from top-notch contemporary painters plus the occasional 3-D piece. Beyond that, expect about 8 shows throughout the year to have passed the discerning eyes of this gallery.
Thu-Fri 12noon-5pm; Sat 2pm-6pm. Other times by appointment.

Richard Goodall Gallery - 59 Thomas Street, M4 (832 3435).
To 6 Mar. The Rhythm of Cuba - Photographs by Ian Livesey. Intrigue is evident in these 'classic looking' black-and-white images: are they set up to look dated or are they from some bygone, classy, era? Either way these images, as shouted out in the title, have rhythm.
Tue-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat 11am-5pm.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery - Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford, M5 (736 2649).
To 24 Feb. Lifetimes Community Gallery - A new space within this venue, dedicated to use by the people of the immediate locality. Members of the (Salford) public are invited to approach the gallery with ideas for use of the space. So, as long as you're from Salford, contact the Exhibitions Officer on 736 2649.
To 25 Feb. The People's Canal - Marking the 100th anniversary of the Manchester Ship Canal, this show looks back at what was once a feat of engineering ingenuity and is now, well, open to interpretation.
Mon-Fri 10am-4.45pm; Sat-Sun 1pm-5pm.

Turnpike Gallery - Civic Square, Leigh, Wigan (01942 404 469).
From 14 Feb. Modern British Prints - Culled from this venue's collection, the prints focus on post-World War II artists like Hockney, Caulfield, Pasmore, Warhol and Hamilton. Alongside, a wonderful bonus is found in Goya: The Disparates. These etchings were the last that Goya made. They are, at once, disturbing and amusing.
Mon/Thu-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm; Tue 10am-5.30pm; Wed 9.30am-5pm; Sat 10am-3pm.

Urbis - Urbis Galleries, Cathedral Gardens, M4 (907 9099).
To 18 Apr. The Peter Saville Show - It may sound like a woeful 'light entertainment' TV show but this is, rather, an art show by a designer. Bit of an oddity too –somewhere between homecoming and breakthrough- as the show was organised by The Design Museum, London while Saville himself is a ‘namedroppable’ sort round these parts. After all, he was responsible for the 'look' of the Factory Records brand in its heyday.
Mon-Sun 10am-6pm. Warning: ENTRANCE FEE.

Vernon Mill Gallery - 3rd Floor, Mersey Road, Stockport, SK1 (476 0477).
To 29 Feb. Alison Smith, Emma Wood, and Eva Hamilton-Fisher - Abstract painting from Smith plus work in glass from Wood share the space here with more figurative pieces from Hamilton-Fisher.
Sat-Mon 10am-4pm; other times by appointment.

Wendy J. Levy Contemporary Art Gallery - 17 Warburton Street, East Didsbury, M20 (446 4880).
To 21 Feb. Sculpture & Drawings - Pieces by several artists, invited for the occasion. Also exhibited here, the work of 'celebrated sculptor' Ted Roocroft who passed away in 1991 after a lengthy, international career. Tue-Sat 10am-4pm.

Whitworth Art Gallery - The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M15 (275 7452/7450).
To 4 Mar. Revivals - Textiles and wallpapers inspired by the seemingly incessant cycle of styles in art and design.
To 14 Mar. Rupert Griffiths: Space Probe - A topical title for a show that was originally intended for the public space of Piccadilly Metrolink, and that 'investigates the nature of space and how it is inhabited, perceived and represented.
To 15 Mar. Flexible 4: Identities - 24 artists, including Tracy Emin, explore identities in diverse ways via 'textile-related media.
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 2pm-5pm.

OTHER SPACES

Bar 480 - 480 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, M21 (861 0577).
To 30 Apr. Steve Gill and Mike Smith - A couple of local artists hang some paintings here to distract the clientele from their drinks and nosh.

Contact Theatre - Devas Street, off Oxford Road, M13 (274 0600).
To 27 Feb. Superdead - What is promised here is an unveiling of the eponymous one's work 'from sketchbook to canvas'.
Debenhams – Window Display Spaces, Market Street, (832 8666).
To 11 Apr. Long Live The 'Candy-Floss Mavericks' (Trekking Through Hyper-Spatial Realism) - Risible title for the next garrison of artists to encamp under, while showing their pieces.

Felicini - 244-251 Monton Road, Monton, Eccles, (789 2675).
To 27 Feb. Process and Presence - Abstract paintings and drawings by Darren Marsh. The process involves several layers of paint being merged and built up or scraped and stripped away. That produces endless visual intrigue: the 'presence' of the title.

Instituto Cervantes - 326-330 Deansgate, M3 (6614200).
To 16 Feb. Cuban Cinema Posters - To coincide with their Cuban film season, this venue has been decorated with some relevant documents-cum-artworks that date back to the turbulent 1960s.
Mon-Fri 12pm-8.30pm; Sat 10am-2pm.

Manchester Museum - Oxford Road, M14 (275 2634).
To 18 Apr. Transformation - New works by five artists who've collaborated with local communities. As befits a collaboration this art is the result of things both under, and beyond, our control. For the resultant pieces have taken consideration of the roleplay and performance of everyday life: 'how we are changed by time, events and emotions’.
To 29 Feb. Explore Expand Exchange - The results of inviting '6 artists and product designers' to make works that 'bring museum displays to life by telling good stories.' Includes Kooljit Chuhan's 'From H to O' which improbably but purposefully combines fun with death.
Mon-Sat 10am-5pm.

Manchester Town Hall - Albert Square. Manchester.
To 27 Feb. Hiroshima-Nagasaki: A-Bomb Exhibition - Found in the Sculpture Hall here. Photography and film plus drawings and paintings from survivors alongside 3-D artefacts, record something of those infamous, dark days.
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.

Night and Day - Oldham Street, (236 4597).
To 19 Feb. Expressive post-yBa Realism - For those readers who missed the 1990s (decade of so-called 'sensation') in British art, 'yBa' is an acronym standing for 'young British artist'. For those readers who like to have a painting to mull over with their drink, then try this post-yBa painting from Lindsey Bull. Barfly times apply.

Piccadilly Metrolink - Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester.
To 1 Mar. Presence of Absence/Ancoats Stories - The inaugural show in a series convened by CUBE and themed by 'wastelands'. Architect turned artist Dan Dubowitz has placed 10 large-scale photographs in light boxes, accompanied by 12 recorded histories, to intermingle with passengers. Waiting times apply.

Sand Bar - 120 Grosvenor Street, M13 (273 3141).
To 21 Mar. Luke Drozd: Schlock and Awe – See Recommended.

Uber Bar - High Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester.
From 12 Feb. Quiddity - No, it's not that game they play in Harry bleedin' Potter. Quiddity is a term borrowed from philosophy (best left alone) and provides the unusual title here for 11 photographers to gather under while showing their efforts in the hustle-bustle of the bar context.

Zinc Bar & Grill - The Triangle, Hanging Ditch, Lancs (0161 827 4200).
To 2 Mar. Six Artists - Six artists no longer in search of a venue congregate here for a group effort. Subsequent to this run, each of the six will have a solo show here.

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