The miners strike of 1984 and the legacy of the mining industry is the focus of a new exhibition at the Turnpike Gallery, Leigh.
 
Face is a specially commissioned documentary, archive and audio-visual exhibition by Paula Keenan, Lesley Sutton and Dave Meehan which opens this weekend.
 
It focuses on personal stories, the impact of the Miners Strike of 1984, an exploration of the working lives of local women and men and how the legacy of the mining industry is still a vital element of local culture and landscape.
 
A documentary film by Dave Meehan and Paula Keenan features interviews with ex-miners and their wives, including stories from the miners strike in 1984.
 
Archive images of pit brow lasses commissioned by Arthur Munby sit alongside other archive images and recent photographs by Paula Keenan of working women to reflect the journey of women in employment in the borough over a 150 year period. 
 
Lesley Sutton has created an artwork with local women from the Willow Project during a series of creative art workshops.
 
Historical objects relating to mining in Wigan have also been borrowed from the Museum of Science and Industry.
 
Against the backdrop of images, stories, artefacts and maps depicting the huge number of coalfields in our area, emerges the changing face of our local working community over the last century
 
Project co-ordinator, Paula Keenan  said: “This exhibition is the culmination of two years work from planning to completion.  A lot of people in the borough have given their time willingly to help us create the work.  We have tried to capture something that is no longer visually present in our communities but is still alive in the hearts and minds of those once part of the coal industry.
 
“We hope people can take away shared memories, facts, and knowledge of a lost industry Wigan is still proud of.  Thank you to all who gave their time and help to make this a great exhibition."
 
The exhibition opens on Saturday 21st January and everyone is welcome to attend from 11am to 2.30pm.  Entrance to the exhibition is free and forms part of a Super Saturday event at the Turnpike Centre, where there will be a variety of drop-in activities for families and children.
 
The exhibition continues at the Turnpike until 3rd March and then moves to the Museum of Wigan Life in Wigan from 10th March – 5th May.

The Turnpike Gallery, Leigh is open Tuesday to Friday 10am until 5pm and Saturdays 10.30am until 3.30pm.
 
More information can be found by contacting the gallery on 01942 404 420.