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Contemporary Art Exhibitions

Marjan Wouda: Familiar

Complementing the beautiful landscape of Whitaker Park, artist Marjan Wouda has created three sculptures of a hare, dog and cow, exploring the storylore of Lancashire and its landscapes. 

In front of The Whitaker, Familiar is your chance to get up close and as personal as you like with Dandy (a two-meter supernatural dog inspired by the history of the Pendle Witches), The Dun Cow of Parlick (a bovine giantess who gave too much of herself) and Sir Hare, the largest sculpture at 3.6 meter in gorgeous rusty Corten steel.  

The title of the exhibition plays with the meanings of the word ‘familiar’; as an adjective: to know something or someone well and as a noun: a close friend, or a spirit that is the close companion of a witch. 

Visitors can access an audio recording of a re-telling by Jacqueline Harris of each of the three stories that inspired the sculptures via the QR codes on the sculpture labels. 

The three sculptures form the first outdoor stage of a temporary installation, to be added to by works shown indoors from 25 February until 7 May. 

  • Dates
    Monday 14th November 2022 – Sunday 7th May 2023
  • Tickets

    Free.

This event is supported by the Arts Council England

Marjan Wouda is a Dutch-born, Lancashire-based sculptor of international renown.  Her work is spread far and wide, from New Zealand and Hong Kong to Europe, the Caribbean, and the US. Born on a tenant dairy farm in the north of The Netherlands, she came to England aged 19 and trained in art colleges in London and Manchester. In the year 2000, she moved to Lancashire where she feels she is growing roots. 

While often her work features animals, she is passionate about exploring the human predicament in a way that is engaging and curious. She loves the adventure of the making process, exploring materials playfully and allowing them their voice.  

Thank you to Castle Fine Art Foundry, Arts Council England, The Making Rooms, Blackburn, Steel Dynamics, Blackburn and The Cardboard Box Company, Clayton-le-Moors.

Additional notes:

  • Recommended age group is for guidance only if you have any questions on suitability please speak to one of our team members or email learning@thewhitaker.org
  • All activities are fully inclusive, please contact our team on learning@thewhitaker.org if you have any specific questions on accessibility
  • Unless otherwise stated, for family workshops you only need to book a ticket for each child attending. Accompanying adult is free
  • Activities can be booked via our website or by visiting our Welcome Desk
  • Whilst some activities are offered free due to our current funding from ACE and HLF, we have introduced ‘pay what you can’ for some events with a suggested donation. We appreciate donations to ensure we can keep activities running in the future
  • Our events cancellation policy can be accessed here.

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