Huge Liverpool Tapestry goes on display in Museum of Liverpool

A huge tapestry, created to celebrate Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2008, has gone on display at the Museum of Liverpool.

The Liverpool Tapestry: People, Places and Passions opened in the Skylight Gallery on Friday 27 April until Sunday 9 September. The Tapestry is the first exhibition to be displayed in the Skylight Gallery during a two-year period of sponsorship by Home Bargains.

Conceived and funded by Home Bargains in conjunction with Merseyside Embroiders’ Guild, the Tapestry has been produced by more than 150 people, who hand-stitched 338 individual tapestry panels to make up the triptych, which cumulatively spans over six metres in length.

The panels feature iconic images including Superlambananas, the city’s historic buildings, and aspects of Liverpool that have special meaning for the individual embroiderers.

Joe Morris, Operations Director of Home Bargains said: “The Tapestry has 338 pieces, which each show a piece of Liverpool that’s important to the person who created it. I have looked at it many times and see something new each time; it keeps you spellbound for hours. I hope visitors to the Museum of Liverpool will get the same enjoyment from it when it goes on display.”

Joe created a panel of work himself of a Home Bargains shop front and many other groups and individuals have had the chance to add their own creations during a two year-long process, including school children from Merchant Taylors’ School.

Gill Roberts from the Merseyside Embroiderers’ Guild said: “Over the course of 25 workshops we worked with people of all ages from across the city, who each brought their own inspiration and unique ideas to the project.

“The work is so delicate and skilled that it took a long time to pull it all together, but I know people will be impressed by the hard work that went into the Tapestry, and the finished result is breathtaking.”

Displayed opposite The Liverpool Cityscape in the Skylight Gallery at the top of the Museum’s sweeping staircase, the Liverpool Tapestry, represents the people, places and passions of Liverpool.

Home Bargains has sponsored the Skylight Gallery for a two-year period, which begins with the display of the Liverpool Tapestry, enabling the space to be used for future exhibitions and associated community programmes.