Exhibitions and Events
| Gallery | Artist | Dates |
| Crossley Gallery | Calderdale College | 9th Jun – 22nd Jun |
| Mosaic/Upstairs Galleries | Calderdale College | 9th Jun – 22nd Jun |
| Short Link Gallery | Pinc College | 27th Jun – 20th Jul |
| Crossley Gallery | Anthony Earnshaw | 5th Jul – 28th Sepy |
| Photography Gallery | Nudrat Afza | 16th Aug – 19th Oct |
Anthony Earnshaw (1924 – 2001)
The Imp of Surrealism
The Crossley Gallery
5th July – 28th September 2025
Anthony Earnshaw’s artistic trajectory diverged significantly from conventional pathways. Leaving formal education at the age of 15 to enter factory work, Earnshaw was deprived of institutional artistic training. Nevertheless, compelled by an irrepressible creative spirit, he found solace in art—an act of joyous rebellion against the constraints of everyday life. His pursuit of chance encounters served as both an artistic philosophy and a means of resisting the alienation engendered by late capitalist society.
The year of Earnshaw’s birth coincided with the publication of the first Surrealist Manifesto, yet his engagement with the movement materialised only in the post-war period. The aftermath of World War II witnessed an accelerated proliferation of consumerism, generating fertile conditions for subversion—a context in which Earnshaw’s practice found resonance. A committed anarchist, he rejected authority and convention, infusing his work with irreverence, quiet defiance, and a deadpan wit that cut through sentimentality. His artistic universe was one of paradox and play—a realm where the absurd was treated with seriousness, and the everyday was transformed into something deeply strange.
Though instinctive in approach, Earnshaw’s skill as a draughtsman shaped his work in ways that defied conventional technique. His drawings and watercolors, far from being rigidly controlled, carried a fluidity that mirrored the Surrealist embrace of chance. His imagery drifted between clarity and ambiguity, where delicate washes of colour and loose, dreamlike compositions invited interpretation rather than imposed certainty. His critical artistic breakthrough emerged in 1966 with a seminal exhibition at the Leeds Institute, firmly situating him within the Surrealist tradition.
This exhibition marked a turning point, not only advancing his artistic career but also opening doors to opportunities in teaching alongside his own practice. A regular presence at Dean Clough and exhibiting alongside his wife, Gail Earnshaw, he remained deeply engaged with the creative community. Gail, honouring his legacy, has generously entrusted many of his works to the Dean Clough Collection, affirming that it is what he would have wanted. The Earnshaw estate is coming home. Anthony’s anarchic ethos, plain-spoken humour, and unrelenting commitment to creative freedom continue to resonate with those who knew him and with new generations encountering his work.
Nudrat Afza
Kehillah
The Photography Gallery
16th August – 19th October 2025
