Coventry City of Culture Trust has revealed the location for an immersive multi-media exhibition exploring the pioneering role Coventry played in house music.
House is a Feeling will take place from November 11th – 28th 2021 in part of the former IKEA building. Owned by Coventry City Council, the building is being used for a number of innovative, interim uses ahead of it being transformed into a collections centre of national and international standing.
House is a Feeling is a chronological exploration of a music and cultural-revolution in Coventry from 1985 to 1993. This multi-sensory exhibition gives insight into a city before, during and after the arrival of house music and ecstasy and into the experiences of those involved.
The exhibition explores the impact and legacy of electronic dance music and emerging youth cultures at a time of heightened social injustice, racism and violence, culminating in a musical and social revolution that put Coventry on the map.
The city was one of the epicentres of a new youth cultural expression in the UK and witnessed the birth of its first legal events orchestrated by Amnesia House and The Eclipse Nightclub, the first sanctioned all-night 24-hour club in the UK.
Presented through a series of corridors and curated themed rooms, the exhibition includes transformational theatre; audio documentaries; artist moving image and laser projections. With uncensored accounts tracking the journey of Coventry’s place as the pioneer of this global movement and multi-billion-pound industry, creating a blueprint that was copied world-wide.
The work includes contemporary visual interpretations of the underground drug culture and captures significant historical moments covering themes of racism and city centre violence featuring local people telling untold stories of their experience.
House is a Feeling was commissioned by Coventry City of Culture Trust in partnership with Coventry City Council.
Coventry City of Culture Trust Creative Director Chenine Bhathena said: “This exhibition documents one of the last youth and cultural movements of the 20th Century in the UK. The city was at the epicentre of electronic dance music and rave culture at this time. It was a hedonistic time in history when the younger generation were fully immersed in the moment, no mobile phones or selfies. It was just pure love for the beat. There was a sense of freedom and spirit amongst that generation that won’t be seen again. The exhibition will give the public a chance to see Coventry’s musical and social-revolution of the late 1980s and 90s.”
Adi Dowling, who has curated the exhibition, said: “This is a historical documentation of one of the most important cultural movements of the 20th century and maps the journey of a youth revolution that took over the world. The amazing thing was this was brought together by black, brown and white street kids who had nothing but each other.”
Councillor David Welsh, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities which covers art and culture, said: “It is wonderful that we are able to celebrate a lesser-known but important part of Coventry’s musical history in this way. As a Council, we are committed to ensuring that various partners across the country come together to create the Collection Centre in this landmark building, which will be a facility of national and international standing. But rather than leave it empty until that is achieved, we are looking for innovative and creative uses for the building and this event fits that bill.”
Friday, November 12 and Friday, November 26, will be ‘Live Fridays’ where visitors can take in the exhibition and experience live performance elements.
On Wednesday, November 24 there will be a specially commissioned Deaf Rave event from 5pm until 8pm. Rinkoo Barpaga will be the BSL tour guide of the space that uses film, lighting and dry ice to recreate and comment on rave culture.
The exhibition is funded by Arts Council England and Coventry City of Culture Trust.
House is a Feeling contains content that some audiences may find distressing including real life accounts of racism, violence and drug use. Guideline Audience Age Range: 14+. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.
Pictures - Eclipse Club, Coventry 1991 – credit Tony Davis