Art installation mixes ‘urban and rural’ parts of Bradford

Hardy and Free, by Carolyn Mendelsohn, is now on display on the side of the Kirkgate Shopping Centre after the installation was officially launched last week.

It features 12 large images of Yorkshire women photographed in natural areas that have a special significance to them.

The installation – part of Bradford’s City of Culture year – will be on display until February.

Norah McWilliam and Furaha Mussanzi in front of their images(Image: T&A)

After that the 1970s shopping centre will be demolished to make way for the new Bradford City Village development.

Among the images on display is a striking photo of Musician Youth Worker Kemmi Gill at Goit Stock waterfall in Harden, Journalist Aina J Khan at Harden Grange Folly, Farmer Rachel Coates at Lower Springs Farm in Baildon and campaigner Norah McWilliam pictured at Thornton Moor.

The images can be viewed either from street level or from neighbouring Darley Street Market.

The launch of the Hardy and Free exhibition(Image: T&A)

What is the Hardy and Free exhibition?

Hardy and Free was originally commissioned by The Bronte Parsonage, and went on display at the home of the sisters.

The title comes from a line in Wuthering Heights.

It was expanded – in both the number of women and photos and the size of the images – for Bradford 2025.

A collection of some of the Hardy and Free women(Image: T&A)

‘It stops people in their tracks and makes you look’

At the launch event last week Shanaz Gulzar, creative director for City of Culture, said: “They were exquisite photos, but they were tiny.

“We said we needed to grow the project, bring more women in and bring the exhibition to the city.

“It is outside – it is available to everyone. It stops people in their tracks and makes you look. It is not often you have the opportunity to do that.”

She said the exhibition brings the “urban and rural” sides of the district together.

‘They deserve to be seen at this scale’

Ms Mendelsohn told the Telegraph & Argus: “I wanted these images to be big – we talked about how great it would be for these images to be at a big scale.

“They deserve to be seen at this scale.

Carolyn Mendelsohn(Image: T&A)

“It is a totally different feel – you become immersed in their story.”

There are QR codes under the images that people can scan and listen to the women’s stories.

They are also available by visiting https://bradford2025.co.uk/hardy-and-free-portraits/