Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors exhibition coming to the city
ACCLAIMED international art exhibition Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors is heading to Manchester as part of city’s 2017 Chinese New Year celebrations.
The stunning installation comprising 40 lantern warriors will illuminate the city’s Exchange Square for four days from January 26.
Commissioned for the Beijing Olympics Games in 2008, the exhibition has subsequently appeared in locations across the globe including Sydney Harbour, Zagreb Central Square and Prague’s Hradcany Castle.
Inspired by the famous ‘terracotta army’ uncovered in 1974 in the tomb of China’s First Emperor and widely regarded as the 8th Wonder of the Ancient World, artist Xia Nan’s brightly coloured lanterns, which stand at more than two metres tall, bring together two key features of Chinese art and culture – the compelling story of the Terracotta Army alongside the 2,000-year-old tradition of lantern-making.
The Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors are accurate replicas of the original 8,000-strong army of clay warriors, with the addition of women and children to represent inheritance and future.
Manchester city centre will see in the Year of the Rooster with a four day programme (26th – 29th January 2017) celebrating the very best of traditional and contemporary Chinese culture.
More than 6,000 traditional red lanterns will adorn the city’s streets alongside a giant 50ft Golden Dragon spectacle, light shows and firework displays, Chinese and Asian food villages, live music and traditional performances and a host of city wide family events.
Manchester’s Chinese New Year celebrations, organised by the Heart of Manchester BID on behalf of Manchester city centre retailers, alongside FCAM (Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester), Manchester City Council and Confucius Institute, are the largest in the UK outside of London.
Jane Sharrocks, Heart of Manchester Business Improvement District Chair, said: “Securing this world class exhibition is a major coup for both Manchester’s Chinese New Year celebrations and the city itself. The Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors are breath taking and visitors can walk amongst them offering a truly immersive experience.”
