Made in Sheffield, Millennium Gallery Sheffield

The Millennium Gallery, which opened in 2001 as part of a wider redevelopment of Sheffield city centre, is a suitable setting for a celebration of the city’s culture of making. The museum houses 19th-century writer John Ruskin’s sizeable collection of art, historic books and early photography, as well as a large range of the metalwork for which Sheffield is famous, alongside contemporary art. The common theme is that these are all Sheffield objects, collected and displayed as a symbol of civic pride.

Made in Sheffield is a central part of the city’s Year of Making, an ambitious programme celebrating the city’s culture of creativity. This is especially evident in the public spaces nearby, such as the dazzling steel sculpture in Sheaf Square and the Winter Gardens. Even the gallery shop is full of gifts bearing the words and images of local heroes, including musicians Richard Hawley and Jarvis Cocker. The exhibition is placed in context by the first item visitors see: a beautiful curved propeller blade. It is a contemporary object made in a material that epitomises Sheffield – steel – and establishes two overarching themes: a modern example of a traditional industry and a functional object presented as a work of art.

Rooted in industry

Steel is of course the industry on which modern Sheffield was built and many examples of historic and contemporary craftsmanship in this material are on display. The objects showcase the practical applications of engineering – one case displays a scrap shear blade used to cut through riser pipes in the operation following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, while another shows the tools used to lift the Mary Rose warship.

This focus roots the exhibition in the city’s industry, but also serves as a basis from which to highlight other areas of creativity.

A good example is the display of beer bottles, showcasing Sheffield’s strong reputation for brewing. Indeed, the growth of breweries was created by the industrial revolution. New brewing techniques that were developed in the city increased the rate of beer production and an influx of workers to the area led to a larger market for beer. Today, there are more than 400 unique beers on sale in Sheffield pubs and several bottles from these craft breweries are on display (my favourite name is Hop and Glory).

Having rooted the exhibition in these stories, the narrative moves on to the city’s tradition of handcraft. Again, steel is a prominent theme, with examples of tools and blades. A huge installation of tools has been hung from the ceiling by wire, as if in orbit around an invisible centre, to form a visually spectacular part of the exhibition. It looks like an explosion in a toolbox frozen in time and is a beautiful and innovative method of display.

Local flavour

The exhibition includes a pair of documentary films that are shown in the centre of the gallery. They document the production process of two factories: the Simpkins sweet factory and a steel works. There is little dialogue, save for a single narration describing the feeling of working in an environment that provides an assault on the senses. The ethereal soundtrack can be heard throughout the space and provides a fitting backdrop to the whole exhibition. The processes themselves are oddly compelling to watch.

The intention is clearly to celebrate Sheffield as a city of creativity, while providing a platform for showcasing local industry. This works to good effect in a case of handmade jewellery, in which beautiful objects provide a contrast to the domestic tools alongside them. However, it is less appealing in a display of common household items such as Sheffield-born Bassett’s Jelly Babies and Henderson’s Relish – there are so many objects close together that the labels end up occupying almost as much space. These are clearly relevant examples of locally produced items, but the way they are exhibited is a missed opportunity to showcase the creative display methods elsewhere in the space.

Contemporary theme

The final parts of the exhibition highlight contemporary art and craft, alongside design and manufacturing in health and sport. I was glad to see a series of covers from the excellent independent magazine Now Then. Removed from the magazine, the covers can be viewed as great works of art.

Perhaps the best object in the exhibition is the world’s fastest sled. This was made at the Centre for Sports Engineering Research at Sheffield Hallam University and ridden by motorcycle racer Guy Martin when he broke the world speed record for the fastest gravity-powered sled. Over the afternoon I spent in the gallery, it was certainly the object that provoked the most interest from the public.

This section also contains a case that provides a welcome synergy with the opening object in the exhibition. Tools used in healthcare are displayed alongside modern medical prosthetics and an artificial hip joint. These have been produced using groundbreaking methods, in Sheffield. Like the propeller at the exhibition’s entrance, they are examples of outstanding engineering that serve a vital practical use. Yet displayed in this context, they are also beautiful objects in themselves – the essence of good design.

This case is typical of the exhibition, showcasing a spirit of innovation across many disciplines, as well as the beauty that can be found in well-designed objects. This is all underpinned by a desire to use it as inspiration for the future.

Simon Brown is the curator of Community History and World Cultures at Nottingham City Museums and Galleries, and the Museums Association rep for the East Midlands