MMU lecturer creates Haçienda clubbing experience exhibition

Dr. Beate Peter, a lecturer in the School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University, has created a new art exhibition entitled ‘The Lapsed Clubber’, inspired by her old clubbing days in the iconic Haçienda.

Explaining her inspiration, Peter said: “I used to think that there is no better feeling than getting lost in music, dancing all night long, and leaving the club with the sun shining on my face. I wanted to find out if there was more to it than just growing old. The stories are to show how clubbing has never been just about going out to get wrecked, it is part of people’s history and their lives. Clubbing has become so ingrained in contemporary culture and our modern experience of being young, that it is no longer just a hedonistic indulgence, but an important marker for identity formation.”

As part of the research before creating the exhibition, around 50 of Peter’s friends were asked to send in photos of their clubbing days in the 80s and 90s and a further photo of what they look like today.

An example of one of the exhibition pieces is Andy, who submitted the photo entitled “dancing and sharing the love. Herbal Tea Party, Manchester, Summer 1994”. The shot taken from Andy today is of him and his wife dancing at their wedding in Bangkok. Commenting on this idea, Peter said: “It’s remarkable to see which direction people went after leaving the nightclub one wonderful morning, never to return.”

The exhibition is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Sciences and will be featured at Twenty Twenty Two in Manchester’s Northern Quarter from the 7th of November until the 13th of November. Visitors will also be encouraged to share the memories of their clubbing days by taking part in an anonymous interview by a computer called ‘Voice Box’. Furthermore, a panel discussion will take place on Saturday, 7th November at 4pm featuring Herbal Tea Party organizer, Rob Fletcher and former Haçienda DJ Dave Haslam.