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New outdoor exhibition showcasing everyday life across the generations opens in Stoke-on-Trent garden

Local News by Liana Snape 1 hour ago  
The Past Times exhibitions has opened at Bethesda Gardens in Hanley (image via Stoke-on-Trent City Council)
The Past Times exhibitions has opened at Bethesda Gardens in Hanley (image via Stoke-on-Trent City Council)
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A new outdoor exhibition has opened in a Stoke-on-Trent garden showcasing life-sized artworks in the city centre.

The Past Times exhibition at Bethesda Gardens in Hanley features large-scale reproductions of paintings from Potteries Museum & Art Gallery's collection.

A spokesperson for Stoke-on-Trent City Council said: "The exhibition captures moments from everyday life across the generations – from scenes of work to family life and leisure – with a life-size portrait of Josiah Spode II among the highlights."

Other highlights include works by acclaimed British and Irish artists John Currie, Roderic O'Conor and Ethel Gabain, alongside paintings by June Burnett, who lived and worked in Stoke-on-Trent.

After Bethesda Gardens became the first venue in the UK to host the National Gallery's Art on Your Doorstep exhibition, the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery is reusing the specially designed outdoor display structures to showcase highlights from its own collection.

Councillor Sarah Hill, cabinet member for finance, anti-poverty and corporate services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "The National Gallery exhibition showed how well art can work in public spaces, so it's fantastic to see these display structures being used again to showcase highlights from our own collection.

"Whether you're passing through the city centre, taking a break in Bethesda Gardens or making a special trip, Past Times offers the chance to discover some fantastic artworks in a different setting.

"The life-size prints bring people closer to the paintings and tell stories of everyday life that still resonate today.

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"It's another great way of bringing art into everyday spaces and encouraging more people to discover the museum's collection."

Past Times is free to visit in Bethesda Gardens until 31 January 2027.

     

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