Held in the Quiet Light is a collaborative exhibition of the work of three visual artists; Briony Jenkins, Stephen Milner, Mike Thorpe.

The exhibition marks an artistic return to their place of birth, serving as a reflective journey on how one’s origins shape identity. Delving into themes of homecoming, rediscovery, and memory; exploring sensory triggers that evoke memories good and bad; and how the concept of ‘home’ influences our lives.

The work shows how the subject of home and memory can be expressed through an immersive visual experience. ‘All we’ve ever been shapes all we ever are, and informs all we ever will be’.

On display in our North Gallery from 13 December 2025 to 19 April 2026.

More about the artists

Briony Jenkins is from Levenshulme and Longsight in Manchester, with early connections to Salford. She is now based in the north east of Scotland. Her paintings explore the deep shadows of land and the brilliance of skies at the closing and opening of the days. Her palette is inspired by her roots in the industrial north west of England. The oil paintings she has developed for this exhibition include those inspired by memories of nighttime streetlighting and early adult writings on the theme of memory and light, centred around home in Longsight.

Stephen Milner, a Manchester artist who has recently returned to painting, works mainly in acrylic, ink and pencil. His work is an investigation of the self, reflecting on his early childhood trauma and time spent in Salford Royal and Pendlebury Children’s Hospital. The large scale works he creates for this exhibition show the fragility of life, portraying a sense of discomfort and vulnerability.

Mike Thorpe, an artist, designer and curator now based in Macclesfield, works with a variety of media, including film, projection and painting. He recently returned to his childhood home to discover cardboard boxes filled with his old toys, evoking memories and inspiration for his new immersive, contemplative pieces for this exhibition.