Name: Heart of Glass
Price range: $

Focussing on the experiences which aren't recorded in the history books or curated in museums, Photographer Stephen King invited small groups and individuals from St Helens' past workforces to share their stories.

Stephen worked with groups and individuals who were part of St Helens Post-Industrial community to find the space they share through their experiences, stories and folklore.

Focussing on the experiences which aren't recorded in the history books or curated in museums, Stephen spent a number of months meeting with and inviting small groups and individuals from St Helens' past workforces to share their own narratives. Participants had worked in Beechams, Pilkingtons and the mines, many had now become part of historical societies and most remembered the nights in the labour clubs with entertainers.

6 large light boxes with a different image in each stand in a row next to a canal. The canal water reflects the images. It's dark outside.

Over many cups of tea and biscuits, participants spent hours in informal conversations which were recorded and transcribed to create an archive of stories. From the conversations, a series of images were chosen to be photographed. Many of the same participants and community members who had shared their stories went on to collaborate and perform in these photographs.

The series of images were installed as a public art exhibiton on a section of the Sankey Canal at The World of Glass. Located at the back of Pilkington's Glass Works, for decades the pipes on this section of canal pumped out warm water from the glass making process into the canal and - according to folklore - for many years supported a thriving eco-system of tropical fish which were discarded by a local pet shop owner.

Five men dressed in winter coats and hats stand and kneel on patio slabs and a field. One tends to a pile of mustard coloured powder, the others carry metal buckets full of mustard coloured tablets, there is a gorilla and smoke in the background.

In front of a large green garage door and red brick wall a bright red, classic flat bed truck stands in the road. On the back of the truck sit and stand a group of people. Some wear striped outfits and some wear red outfits with fake horns. At the front of the truck and man balances on a large yellow ball wearing only black shorts.

In front of a factory turnstile a crowd of people gather facing away from us. Some are holding placards. One placard reads '£20 for 40 Hours". In the middle of the crowd a woman in a blue jacket walks towards us, looking nervous.

In a field next to a line of trees an man with light hair stands holding a ceramic yellow pot, with a camera hung over his shoulder. On the skyline, in the distance is a factory chimney with smoke coming out. Next to the man is a tree with bright yellow leaves. Underneath the tree a child in school uniform wears a gas mask and is surrounded by old fashioned pint glasses.

A group of men sit in a pub lounge. The seats and carpet are vibrant, deep red. There are pink and red flowery curtains and walls. All the men look towards the centre of the room, where a young man rides a unicycle, holding a bar tray and juggling a set of snooker balls.

On a hillside covered in a snow several groups of men are gathered. In the background we can see a factory with tall smoking chimneys. In the foreground a man in a black woolly hat and white vest is jogging towards the camera holding a set of keys. Behind him a small group of men in overalls and helmets are facing another group of men in winter coats who are holding fire extinguishers. A man dressed all in black is standing behind them with his arm raised.

Where Things Are Different was part of Culture Shifts; a socially engaged photography programme from Open Eye Gallery. Through Culture Shifts11 photographers became involved within the daily lives of communities across Liverpool City Region. Photographers supported people from various communities to explore their collective stories in a way that was meaningful to them.

The opening event for Where Things Are Different's installation also celebrated the beginning of St Helens 150 - a year of celebrating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Royal Charter which incorporated the borough.

In Partnership with

Stephen King

Reflections - artist Stephen King on the stories behind the making of Where Things Are Different

It's January. It's cold, dark and wet. We're casting our minds back to this time last year when we huddled by the banks of the Sankey Canal to witness the opening of Where Things Are Different.