Manchester Academy of Fine Arts
Encyclopedia
The Manchester Academy of Fine Arts (MAFA) is a society established in 1859 for the purpose of organising Annual Open Exhibitions in Manchester City Art Gallery, formerly the Manchester Institution. Since refurbishment of the art gallery
, MAFA has endeavoured to maintain its profile by presenting exhibitions
of painting
, prints
, drawing
s and sculpture
in venues in Manchester
and throughout North West England
.
The society has been associated with a number of notable individuals, including Alfred Waterhouse
, Ford Madox Brown
, LS Lowry, Norman Adams and Anne Redpath. Past presidents include the artists William Knight Keeling
and Robert Crozier. Academy members have played a significant role in the Manchester art scene for over a century, including the design of several of its buildings and public works.
In 2009 - 2010, MAFA celebrates its 150th anniversary through a series of exhibitions and a service at Manchester Cathedral
in November 2009.
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
, MAFA has endeavoured to maintain its profile by presenting exhibitions
Art exhibition
Art exhibitions are traditionally the space in which art objects meet an audience. The exhibit is universally understood to be for some temporary period unless, as is rarely true, it is stated to be a "permanent exhibition". In American English, they may be called "exhibit", "exposition" or...
of painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, prints
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable...
, drawing
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
s and sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
in venues in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and throughout North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
.
The society has been associated with a number of notable individuals, including Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
, Ford Madox Brown
Ford Madox Brown
Ford Madox Brown was an English painter of moral and historical subjects, notable for his distinctively graphic and often Hogarthian version of the Pre-Raphaelite style. Arguably, his most notable painting was Work...
, LS Lowry, Norman Adams and Anne Redpath. Past presidents include the artists William Knight Keeling
William Knight Keeling
William Knight Keeling was a British artist, an illustrator of Walter Scott's novels and Shakespeare's plays, a founder and the third President of the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts.William Knight Keeling was born in Manchester...
and Robert Crozier. Academy members have played a significant role in the Manchester art scene for over a century, including the design of several of its buildings and public works.
Membership
The Academy consists of over 100 elected members who are mainly professional artists practising not only in the North West of England but throughout the United Kingdom and in Europe. The objective of the Academy is to promote the work of its members and, in addition, other artists through organising exhibitions, workshops and talks.In 2009 - 2010, MAFA celebrates its 150th anniversary through a series of exhibitions and a service at Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral is a medieval church on Victoria Street in central Manchester and is the seat of the Bishop of Manchester. The cathedral's official name is The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George in Manchester...
in November 2009.