Warner Village Cinemas handprints at Star City

Before Vue was Vue, it was Warner Village Cinemas at Star City, in Nechells, Birmingham. Around 1998, celebrities put their hands and signed in clay, created a mold. Star City opened in 2000, and these handprints can still be found around Star City. See if you can recognise any?

These stars, handprints with celebrity signatures have probably been in and around Star City since the year 2000. It wasn't Warner Village Cinemas for long, as it's been Vue for much longer.

 

WARNER VILLAGE CINEMAS

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Dame Edna Everage

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Kenneth Branagh

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Denise Van Outen

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This one is a bit hard to read? Paul G Hensleigh 78 ?

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Denzel Washington

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Barbara Windsor

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Vinnie Jones

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Joanna Lumley

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Helen Mirren

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Photography by Elliott Brown

"Foreign Exchange" by Hew Locke: reimagined statue of Queen Victoria in Victoria Square

As part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival, artist Hew Locke has transformed Birmingham's statue of Queen Victoria in Victoria Square. The artwork is called "Foreign Exchange" and has certainly opened up a range of conversations. Unveiled on 14th June 2022, it will remain in the Square until August 2022. Photos taken by Elliott and Daniel.

Birmingham's statue of Queen Victoria was originally unveiled in 1901. Made of marble by Sir Thomas Brock. It was the idea of the founder of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, who wanted to present a statue of the Queen to the City, during her Diamond Jubilee year of 1897. It was finally unveiled 12 days before the Queen's death.

50 years later, the statue had got quite weathered, and the orb was badly damaged during VE Day in 1945.

The statue was removed in 1951, and was cast in bronze by William Bloye. This was all thanks to the Birmingham Civic Society.

More recently, the missing tip of the sceptre was recast and added in 2011, then the Birmingham Civic Society had the statue fully cleaned in 2018.

Here are some photos of the work of artist Hew Locke called "Foreign Exchange" prior to the unveiling.

Saturday 11th June

Views from the 18th floor balcony of 103 Colmore Row.

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Photography by Elliott Brown

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Photography by Daniel Sturley 

Sunday 12th June

By Sunday afternoon, workmen had installed a helmet on top of the original statue of Queen Victoria.

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Photography by Elliott Brown

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Photography by Daniel Sturley

The unveiling of the statue has certainly created a stir and opened up a conversation, as no doubt intended by the artist and those commissioning the work.

Locke’s vision behind the art is to create “an object of veneration, leading a battalion of other statues to represent the home nation throughout the Empire.”

 

Summer 2022 umbrellas between The Mailbox Canalside and The Cube

The Mailbox has put up colourful umbrellas on the Canalside near the bars and restaurants, on the paths towards The Cube. They will be up for the duration of Summer 2022. No guarantee of keeping you dry from the wind and rain though!

Enjoy this post of five photos.

You can either approach the umbrellas from The Mailbox, at the exit to the Canalside, or head up the path from Holliday Street. Alternatively come from The Cube, or from Gas Street Basin and over the Salvage Turn Bridge.

The umbrellas are black, red, white, and green.

They on the upper level near Six Sixes and Miller & Carter, and the lower level near Zizzi and Churchills.

Oh and if you visit in late May / early June 2022, you will probably see the Union Jack bunting for HM the Queen's Platinum Jubilee!

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Photography by Elliott Brown

Floral canopy on Hurst Walk and rainbow bunting at The Arcadian

If you are walking around Southside / the Chinese Quarter during Summer 2022, be sure to check out the floral canopy on Hurst Walk (enter from Hurst Street) and the rainbow bunting inside of The Arcadian. Best viewed from the upper walkway before heading to the steps near Cathay Street and exit to Pershore Street.

Five photos in this post.

Head down Hurst Street from Smallbrook Queensway, and enter Hurst Walk.

It's the one with the rainbow path on it (the other one of Ladywell Walk has been tarmaced over during the Public Realm Works).

Above you, you will see a floral canopy that leads into The Arcadian.

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You now see there is colourful rainbow bunting in the central arena part of The Arcadian. Just walk around the upper path past the bars / restaurants to see from above, or head down the steps. If you stay on the upper path, it leads around to the steps above Cathay Street, and the exit to Pershore Street.

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Photography by Elliott Brown

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery is (partially) open again - the visit of 7th May 2022

It has been closed for a long time. Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery partially reopened (five galleries) on the 28th April 2022. It closed during the pandemic, briefly reopened October 2020, then again (lockdowns etc). Then re-wiring works. The Round Room has We Are Birmingham, Industrial Gallery has Black history and nightclub history. Also one room on local cinema history.

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery reopened on the 28th April 2022. I didn't visit over the May Day Bank Holiday Weekend, but instead popped in a weekend later on Saturday 7th May 2022 (coming back from Cineworld and the Library of Birmingham).

The approach from Centenary Way into Chamberlain Square, at Paradise Birmingham (103 Colmore Row behind). Entrance of course to BM & AG from Chamberlain Square.

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We Are Open. Heading to the double doors of BM & AG, the Chamberlain Square entrance.

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The ground floor entrance room is empty, but has 'Welcome to Museum & Art Gallery Birmingham' signs on panels around it. Seen here from the stairs heading down to the Chamberlain Square exit.

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The stairs leads up to Level 2. There is a new Directory of what is open now, and what will be in Gas Hall (when it reopens on the 14th May 2022).

Round Room - Don't Settle: We Are Birmingham

1. Shop

2. Industrial Gallery - Birmingham Music Archive: In The Que

Fierce: SaVage K'Lub Va Tamatea

Kalaboration Arts: Blacklash: Racism and the Struggle for Self-Defence

3. Gallery
Flatpack Projects: Wonderland

4. Edwardian Tearooms

8. Bridge Gallery - Collection Stories

10. Gallery
Unprecedented Times

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Round Room - Don't Settle: We Are Birmingham

Sir Jacob Epstein's Lucifer statue is the only original piece to return to the Round Room. The walls have been painted a cream colour, and their is an exhibition on called We Are Birmingham.

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We Are Birmingham: Our Journeys - The Past is Now.

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An image of Selfridges on the right.

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We Are Birmingham: Our City. As well as Cold War Steve's Birmingham collage, their is black & white photos on the wall of Indian families.

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We Are Birmingham: Our Joy. Indian related objects and a bicycle.

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Heading back into the Round Room from the Bridge Gallery.

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1. Shop

From the Round Room to the Industrial Gallery. Plenty of gifts to buy here.

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The walkway above the Industrial Gallery was open, and found this view through a grill to the shop below (and Round Room beyond that).

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2. Industrial Gallery: Birmingham Music Archive and Blacklash

There is several exhibitions located in the Industrial Gallery. Coming in from the Round Room, on the left is: 'Birmingham Music Archive: In The Que'. On the right is: 'Fierce: SaVage K'Lub Va Tamatea' and 'Kalaboration Arts: Blacklash: Racism and the Struggle for Self-Defence'.

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You can head up the stairs to the upper level, but there is no objects upstairs, but there is tables to sit down on, study etc. The African exhibits including Blacklash are on the left, while In The Que (nightclubs) is on the right. This view towards the Shop and Round Room.

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Some of the tables with benches that you can sit on. There used to be Ruskin pottery up here (or it used to be on the side near the stairs). I'm sure it will all be back one day in the future.

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This view towards Wonderland in Gallery 3. With In The Que (left) and Blacklash (right) below.

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Birmingham Music Archive: In The Que

The exhibit on the left hand side of the Industrial Gallery is currated by Birmingham Music Archive, and is called 'In the Que'. Que Club posters from the 1990s.

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Heading in, there is a display of magazine articles. Que Here - Lifestyle.

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QUE in big colourful letters, plus some black and white photos from the nighclub.

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Kalaboration Arts: Blacklash: Racism and the Struggle for Self-Defence

In the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter movement during 2020. A history of Black protests and marches. Some posters as you head into the Industrial Gallery.

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No Justice No Peace! The visit of Malcolm X to Smethwick in the 1960s. Black People Alliance. Also the Asian Youth Movement in the 1980s.

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African drums and spears. Some objects used at demonstrations. 'No Justice - Just Us!'

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There was more posters under the stairs.

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Fierce: SaVage K'Lub Va Tamatea

The second Afro themed exhibition. This bit about the Empire Korero on May 25th 1918. Various costumes and something about Good Captain Cook Day.

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The entrance to the SaVage K'Lub Va Tamatea seen from above.

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The stairs between the SaVage K'Lub Va Tamatea and Blacklash exhibitions.

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A quick look at the SaVage K'Lub Va Tamatea exhibition on passing it by.

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Gallery 3: Flatpack Projects: Wonderland

Located in the gallery between the Industrial Gallery and the Edwardian Tearoom is a Birmingham Cinema's themed exhibit called Wonderland, run by Flatpack Projects.

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Wonderland is Birmingham's Cinema Stories. Sign seen from the Industrial Gallery.

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Cinemas closed for months during 2020, briefly reopened in the summer, then closed again, bookended by two lockdowns, and then the tiered restrictions. They only reopened without closing again during Spring 2021 last year.

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Cinema related objects in glass cases to the left, and near the Edwardian Tearoom entrance.

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Pictures on the wall of Birmingham cinema's including some that have closed a long time ago.

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This section below focuses on The Electric Cinema on Station Street.

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The Xmas Crackers sign. I remember seeing it on a visit to The Electric, early in 2020 (few months before the first lockdown).

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Three red cinema seats. Was only an hour or so after I'd left Cineworld on Broad Street before I go to this exhibition.

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4. Edwardian Tearooms

After well over two years, you can now pop into the Edwardian Tearooms again. Buy your food and drink, cash or card is accepted. Plenty of tables like before. Access through Gallery 3 (currently Wonderland) via the large doors on the left (or right).

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The galleries above are closed, with no objects on display.

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8. Bridge Gallery - Collection Stories

You can either head into the Industrial Gallery first, or into the Bridge Gallery. Where they have objects from the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre under the title 'Collection Stories'. Just past through under the 'ART GALLERY EXTENSION AND FEENEY GALLERIS A.D. 1912' sign, and the blue plaque (for Bertha Ryland, unveiled back in 2018 by the Birmingham Civic Society).

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Art on the walls of the Bridge Gallery, some objects in glass cases.

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No entry to the Birmingham History Galleries upstairs, as it's closed, and the objects are still in storage, as the re-wiring works hasn't finished yet.

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In front of the stairs, and near the small cafe, is Souvenir 9 (Queen Victoria). Was made in 2019 by Hew Locke, and acquired for the City by the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

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Gallery 10: Unprecedented Times

Since the Museum & Art Gallery had been closed from 2020, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, various local artists had painted or created the art on display here. Art in response to being on lockdown. During the two lost years of the museum being closed.

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This small gallery is just beyond the Bridge Gallery to the right, and nothing else beyond here is open at the moment.

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The red shutter at the end was closed, as BM & AG still has a lot of work to do to re-wire the whole building.

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The steps to the Gas Hall & Exit was closed also. But I suspect it will reopen on the 14th May 2022, when an exhibit at the Gas Hall called 'Found Cities, Lost Objects, Women in the City' opens.

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Photography by Elliott Brown