once upon a time in an oxford road train station

Venture Arts artist Armaghan Butt will present new work in once upon a time in an oxford road train station at The Modernist this August.

Inspired by Manchester’s modernist architecture and everyday life, Armaghan combines text, digital illustration, printmaking and animation to explore memory, observation and imagination.

Developed during a six-month residency with The Modernist, the exhibition showcases work inspired by Armaghan’s journeys across Manchester using The Modernist’s Architectural City Guide. Through these explorations, he created detailed line drawings of the buildings that caught his eye. The exhibition is accompanied by a selection of prints and Armaghan’s book, once upon a time in an oxford road train station.

The exhibition continues an exciting year for Armaghan, following a major commission for Manchester-based technology company Escode, where his bespoke artworks now welcome visitors to the company’s Spinningfields headquarters. He also exhibited with Venture Arts at Manchester Contemporary Art Fair 2025.

The project was developed in partnership with The Modernist and supported by Jack Hale, Co-founder and Director of The Modernist Society. It was facilitated by Venture Arts’ Jacenta Sellars and curated by Sarah Boulter.

once upon a time in an oxford road train station opens with a preview on Thursday 6 August (6–8pm) and continues until Saturday 29 August at The Modernist.

🎟 Free entry