Brick Project

Barnsley Brick Project

Bricks are all around us yet we seldom stop to look at them, or think about where they came from. Years ago, Barnsley had many of its own brickworks that made the bricks that helped construct the buildings we see around us and the industries they were home to. Each of these local brickworks stamped their name or the name of the village where they were made into the brick. In most cases, this is now the only sign that the brickworks ever existed.

In the resulting exhibition, artist Patrick Murphy explored the history of this almost forgotten Barnsley industry and revealed more about contemporary brick manufacture in the area. The exhibition also featured a body of new work produced by the artist and Barnsley communities focusing on a collection of contemporary ‘art’ bricks using new words, phrases and drawings that explore 21st century Barnsley.