COMMON GROUND

Common Ground is an exhibition by Manchester Met graduates Abbie Fowler, Freya Boothroyd and Joab Harrison. This installation explores the Peak District National Park, its archaeology, geology, history, heritage and sensory qualities.

A collaborative and personal response to this unique landscape, Common Ground invites audiences to connect with nature in the midst of a global climate crisis. The group’s work draws on the Peak District’s two main rock basins: the White Peak (Carboniferous limestone) and the Dark Peak (coarse sandstone, known as millstone grit).

Common Ground brings together wild clay foraged in the Peak District, explored through skill-sharing and a collaborative approach, alongside audiovisual elements to create immersive experiences. Look out for the group’s film screenings and workshops taking place throughout the exhibition.

We are excited to present the work of three graduates:

Freya Boothroyd’s practice is rooted in the geology of the landscape. Currently, she has been responding to her local landscape of the Peak District, using wild clay that has been gathered from caves. Working from the ground up her craft incorporates every stage of wild clay processing, developing a deeper connection with the material to achieve her works.

Abbie Fowler is an artist inspired by the natural world. In her practice she explores the relationship between art and ecology, materiality and abstraction, and how the mechanics of sculpture can shape our act of living ecologically. Through her work you can expect to see sculptures made from natural materials, such as wild clay and wood, as well as film photography and videography, that are inspired by questioning human interference in nature.

Joab Harrison is a visual artist from Sheffield specializing in areas of graphic design and filmmaking. With the release of his last film Overexposed, Joab has embarked on an explorative journey of the Peak District, taking inspiration from the strategies and process of deep mapping artists such as Clifford McLucas and Michael Shanks.

MCAD is proud to celebrate its 20th exhibition in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University. This collaboration is part of the fabric of our work, establishing networks of makers over decades, with many Manchester Met graduates working here in our studios and across the wider North West craft ecology.

With thanks to the Radcliffe Trust for their ongoing support of our work with emerging makers, and to Manchester Met for their partnership, supporting the next generation of makers.

EXHIBITION DETAILS
7th April 2026 – 28th August 2026
Free entrance
Opening Hours:
Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5.30pm
2nd Sunday of the Month, excluding January, 11am – 5pm

Pieces are available for purchase. Please email [email protected], call 0161 832 4274, or pop into the office on the first floor.

EXHIBITION CELEBRATION EVENT
Saturday 18th April, 12pm – 3pm
Join us for a drink and meet the artists!

ACCESS
We welcome Guide and Support dogs and kindly ask that all dogs are kept on leads.
The exhibition space is currently raised and not directly accessible for wheelchair or mobility aid users. However, the open layout allows the exhibition to be viewed comfortably from a distance.