Rooted in collaboration and creative exchange, the residency has been an evolving journey of creating and reflecting through ceramics, furniture making, photographic experimentation, and outdoor growing activities that include equine-assisted therapy and hatching Recoverist chickens as a nurturing metaphor for new life beginnings.

The resulting exhibition will draw together a dynamic collection of artworks – from large-scale black-and-white photographs to ceramics and site-specific artworks that harness the techniques, energy, and immediacy of graffiti.

The title of the exhibition is associated with the phrase ‘peeling an orange in your pocket’ – a saying that can have multiple meanings, alluding to secrecy, but here indicates the idea of layers and hidden talents, as well as the act of peeling an orange for someone as one of love and devotion. The exhibition will ask, ‘is there not more than one way of looking at things?’

ANEW Way to Peel an Orange is a collaboration between Portraits of Recovery, Castlefield Gallery and ANEW and is part of CHAORDIC and Recoverist Month 2025.

RECOVERIST = recovery + activist

ANEW Way to Peel an Orange is a Portraits of Recovery and Castlefield Gallery commission, developed and presented in partnership with ANEW, funded by Brian Mercer Trust, The Howarth Trust, supported by Arts Council England, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Manchester City Council.