The Mancunian Way: Eton comes to Oldham

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Like many journalists, I have a tendency to leave things until the last minute. But I finally managed to see Yayoi Kusama’s striking exhibit, You, Me and the Balloons during an evening slot at the new Factory International last week. And what a treat it was.

Enormous pink and yellow tentacles jut out from the floor of the enormous new building. Barking dogs stand guard next to a giant doll. And a polka dot pumpkin sits squat in the centre. It’s spectacular to see these bonkers creations up close.

There is no doubt that the bosses at Manchester International Festival have struggled over the years to reach a wider audience. Or adequately explain who the festival is for.

But if you can’t get even a little bit excited about a psychedelic exhibition of crowd-pleasing works by a world-renowned, 94-year-old Japanese surrealist, something has gone horribly wrong. And with tickets available for less than a tenner, it’s pretty reasonably priced too. Especially when you compare it to an average theatre show at the Palace or the Lowry.

I really do think Kusama’s exhibit has been a delightful addition to Manchester’s summer events calendar and I don’t think I’m alone, as images of the show have peppered my friends’ social media channels. The excitement has been palpable.

As for the space in which it is housed, I was quite impressed. Everything I have read about Factory International (sorry, Aviva Studios) so far has been linked to the impact of budget overspends and the strange look of the place. It was perhaps this that sucked my