Image: Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester
Michaela Yearwood-Dan’s ‘The Practice of Liberation’ is on view at the Whitworth in Manchester from 17 April to 18 October 2026.
The exhibition is Yearwood-Dan’s first UK institutional museum exhibition. Formed entirely of new work, it brings together 14 paintings and six ceramic vessels in a multidimensional installation designed by the artist, accompanied by a bespoke musical score by composer Alex Gruz.
The major commission uses painting, ceramics and sound to create a layered installation focused on self-transformation and movement towards liberation. Drawing on the aesthetics and symbolism of the Catholic church, the exhibition examines the intersection of colonialism and institutional religion through Yearwood-Dan’s memory and experience.
The artist’s abstract paintings incorporate fragments of her diaristic writing, alongside adapted and borrowed texts and lyrics. References to James Baldwin appear alongside the artist’s own reflections.
The commission and exhibition are co-produced by the Whitworth, the University of Manchester, Towner Eastbourne and Arnolfini in Bristol, where the exhibition will tour in 2026–27.
