By Katerina Karp, Visual Artist, journalist
What does it mean to be interested in art from childhood? To make art an integral part of life, an element of the educational system, and even just a routine weekend activity? And what does a Roman fort have to do with any of this?
We could begin this story with highfalutin words, but instead, let me tell you about how we returned home covered in paint, absolutely delighted. This is yet another chapter of our art escapades – art adventures of Kateryna Karp and Alice G, a mother-daughter duo living in Manchester.
Saturday morning. After breakfast, we headed out to one of our favorite art spaces, AVIVAS Studio, located by the river… From our home, a direct, free, and scenic city bus takes us right to the Science Museum. So, we made our way there, enjoying the tourist sights of this wonderful city. From the museum, it’s just a 10-minute leisurely walk to AVIVAS (by the way, there are new exhibitions at the museum, and we’ll definitely visit soon).
Let’s talk briefly about the exhibition. Although so much has already been written about it, we still have our own experience to share. The exhibition David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away), held at AVIVAS Studio, offers a magical immersion into the world of the artist. It’s not just about looking at the art, it’s about being in it – swimming, gliding, sitting, standing, silently observing, or even quietly whispering with others. It was truly enchanting.
But the thing we love more than simply observing art is participating in the creative process. The Saturday children’s workshops, part of the exhibition program, were a perfect opportunity to do just that. We joined one of the workshops, where there were vibrant colors, real plants, rollers, colored paper, and, above all, kind and enthusiastic artists guiding the children. We probably spent over an hour there, if not more. Alice couldn’t get enough of it. Meanwhile, I enjoyed some delicious food from the local café. In the end, we came away with several joyful pieces of art, which we proudly added to our home collection. For Alice, it was her first time working in this particular style, and it was a wonderful opportunity for her to try something new.
We didn’t head home straight away. We stopped by the bridge to admire the city’s skyline. The construction of skyscrapers here is simply fantastic – the energy of newness is everywhere. We then made our way to Castlefield Bowl, and climbed up the steps, only to find ourselves facing what looked like a fortification wall. And indeed, it was! We had stumbled upon the Reconstruction of the Manucium Roman Fort Wall, the very site that marked the birth of Manchester. This was the first Roman settlement in this part of the UK, and around this fort, villages grew, eventually transforming into the city of Manchester as we know it today.
What started as a simple desire to paint in the style of David Hockney led us to unexpectedly discover the alma mater of the very city we now call home. The art of painting and the art of discovering – they often go hand in hand. This is what makes art not just a passion, but a way of experiencing life in a deeper, more meaningful way.
