This new photography exhibition reveals how Britain is perceived by those outside its borders

Following on from its success at London’s prestigious Barbican, Strange and Familiar: Britain as Revealed by International Photographers opens at Manchester Art Gallery tomorrow with over 200 photographs  from leading 20th century photographers including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Bruce Gilden and Evelyn Hofer.

Curated  by British photographer Martin Parr, this free exhibition reflects on how Britain is  seen by those beyond its borders – particularly relevant in the light of recent events questioning the country’s position in Europe and internationally.

The exhibition kicks off on Friday with Martin Parr in conversation with Barbican curator Alona Pardo at Manchester Art Gallery.

22 artists from all over the world are involved, with a range of styles from social documentary and portraiture to slick street photography. Prepare yourself for a real journey of  how international photographers from the 1930s onwards have captured the cultural identity of the United Kingdom through the camera lens from Evelyn Hofer’s humorous portraits of London tradespeople, to Rineke Dijkstra’s perspective on Liverpool nightclub culture and Shinro  Ohtake’s explorations of London.

Although the photographs selected for the  main exhibition do not feature Manchester, Romanian photographer Alex Beldea will be working on a separate Strange and Familiar Library on the gallery’s ground floor – collaborating with a range of people who access the gallery’s learning programmes to capture Manchester and what it means to people.  Together their images present a vibrant portrait of life in the city today.

Why not get involved? Visitors to the exhibition are invited to capture a portrait of Manchester in a single shot and ‘help make Manchester present again’. Images could be celebrating the city’s architecture, icons or hidden gems – wherever you feel a connection.

You can share your photographs on social media using  the hashtag #MAGstrangeandfamiliar, and images will be on display at Manchester Art Gallery for the duration of the exhibition. Make it your best shot. One will be chosen to be the face of a new Manchester Art Gallery postcard.

Strange and Familiar: Britain as Revealed by International Photographers  – will be at Manchester Art Gallery  from 25th November 2016 – 29th May 2017. 

Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3JL Open daily, 10am – 5pm and Thursdays 10am- 9pm
Free entry 

www.manchesterartgallery.org