"'Which Tomorrow?' banner, 1996" [NMLH.1997.42.2]

Catalogue Number
NMLH.1997.42.2

Object Name
Banner

Title
'Which Tomorrow. Our Children;s World Held In Our Hands. Stop. Think. Act Now.'

Place
People's History Museum, Manchester

People
START, Beryl Clark

Events
Bannerama exhibition Pump House

Date
1996

Creator(s)


Description
Blue banner with a central image of the earth showing two versions of the world split by a river. On the left side of the earth, biodiversity is thriving with stitched birds, animals, trees and flowers. On the right side, nature is dying with a barren landscape background featuring attached animal skulls in ceramic and a bare tree. In each corner of the banner, around the earth, is a hand holding something from nature, clockwise from the top left corner these are an owl, a tree, a dolphin and a panda. Text around the central section reads ‘OUR CHILDREN’S WORLD HELD IN OUR HANDS STOP THINK ACT NOW’.

This banner was made by Beryl Clark as part of a START workshop at the People’s History Museum in 1996. START is a Manchester based organisation that works with people experiencing long-term mental distress. Through a range of artistic practices START helps people regain their confidence and maintain mental health wellbeing. Using the banners in the museum’s collection as inspiration, the workshop aimed to explore the continuing relevance of the banner and create modern banners. The workshops culminated in an exhibition at the museum called Bannerama in which the banners made by the START students were displayed. This banner conveys the need to take care of the world for future generations.

Beryl Clark says ‘I came to the ‘artworld’ rather late in life at the age of 50, through START. It has opened an entire new world to me. I work mainly with Textiles, using various techniques, although I have also worked with ceramics. A lot of my work is inspired by photos I have taken, and I like to bring in to my work my love of animals and the environment. I’ve always been interested in the environment, but recently I’ve been more and more concerned. My main anxiety is how we leave the world for our children and our children’s children. I’d like them to see what an elephant looks like in the wild, not in a zoo. It’s our responsibility now to start looking after the world. If we don’t do something now, it will be too late for our children to begin.’

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