Take a trip to the McKee side

MAGNA will be transformed into a seaside holiday village complete with helter skelter, arcade, crazy golf and art that will transport you to days gone by.

This weekend’s makeover is part of Sheffield artist Pete McKee’s new nostalgic free exhibition Six Weeks To Eternity, inspired by the school summer holidays.

The show is Pete’s biggest to date and he knew Magna would be the ideal setting for it, said his manager and event director Chris Smith.

The two-day exhibition takes over the science centre’s main hall tomorrow and Sunday and is split into two perspectives — Pete’s own “lost weeks”, as he referred to them, and the experiences of South Yorkshire residents.

Chris (32) said Pete drew inspiration from his trips to the British coast and how he had to entertain himself at home in Batemoor with street games and dreams of being Evel Knievel.

The exhibition’s other half comprises summer photos and memories from other residents, including Chris, whose photo shows him with his brothers Charley and Tom waiting for the bus home to Maltby from Filey.

“Back then my parents, Jane and Paul, didn’t have a car so we had to take everything on the bus from Rotherham station,” said Chris.

This is the first time Pete has included public submissions. Chris said the response had been overwhelming — with nearly 500 entries that will all be displayed on a huge wall with personalised notes.

“It’s been really nice looking back on them and seeing old cars and bikes,” he added.

“There are a lot of east coast memories and a lot of pictures of people on holiday in the 60s or 70s holding a small monkey with a jumper on!”

The exhibition will also feature a caravan site, two cinemas and interactive street games, plus a space hopper championship contest.

The 30 new paintings and several sculptures have been six months in the making.

Chris added: “It’s an art exhibition unlike any other. It’s not in a stuffy gallery where you stand back and walk around, this is an interactive experience.

“It’ll take a lot of people down memory lane and there’s plenty to keep adults and children entertained.”

Free shuttle bus transportation to and from the event will be running from platform B2 at Meadowhall and the Magna bus stop on Sheffield Road, on both days of the exhibition.

The exhibition — open 10am to 6pm — is free, but there is a small charge for some of the arcade games and attractions.

Visit www.6weeks.co.uk.