A NEW exhibition has launched at the Lion Salt Works.

Visitors to the museum in Northwich can enjoy the Film Making and Wich-Craft exhibition from today (November 7).

Created by artist and university lecturer in animation James Snazell, the exhibition demonstrates the infinite scope of salt creations.

Cheshire West and Chester councillor Lisa Denson, cabinet member for poverty, public health and mental health, said: “The Lion Salt Works in Northwich has developed a rolling programme of temporary exhibitions, usually developed by guest curators and inspired by the salt industry of Cheshire.

“This dynamic exhibition showcases filmic work inspired by the history of the salt pan process of the salt works and surrounding landscape.

“The exhibition includes still image films of the changing nature of salt and chromatographs which, over time, reveal metallic salts in soil.”

James is currently doing a creative practice PhD in film.

A big part of his research is to explore the idea of the salt pan creatively and see what self-forming image the salt crystals make via pattern formation when water evaporates from a saline solution.

He does this in an investigative process similar to a biologist looking at a petri dish or a geologist looking at a rock formation, which is about observing and interpreting the material self-forming an image.

On display will be a still image film consisting of a series of photographs documenting a salt pan experiment looking at the cyclic filmic nature of rock salt and how it soaks up water in the winter, which evaporates in the summer.

Actual examples of small salt pan experiments will also be on show as part of the exhibition as well as a set of circular chromatographs that work similarly to a salt pan in the way they create a filmic process where the components of soil are separated using a reagent and made visible using the salt silver nitrate.

Film Making and Wich-Craft runs until March 24, 2024.

The Lion Salt Works Museum on Ollershaw Lane is one of the last open-pan, salt-making sites in the World and is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10.30am to 5pm.