I really wish I had taken notes when I was in Glasgow so I could write a really good, in depth post about the degree show but, to be honest, I was just so hungover and a bit ill. I was far from the only one, the street party is notorious and this was the last one for a few years because they are knocking down a bunch of buildings and changing things. But most of the GSA students had not also been to Manchester's Pangaea until some-time-that-morning and then taken a 9am train to Glasgow Central, emerging from the train twitching from sleep deprivation and then been expected to go for it again that evening.
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| Glasgow School of Art http://www.scotcities.com/mackintosh/ |
So my friend who has just finished third year bought tickets for me and Rowan to go to the opening evening of the show. We went for a couple of hours before the street party and then again the next day. The two trips have merged in my memory. I was basically shuffling about with a bottle of water trying to not appear as bad as I felt. However, I was definitely struck by the flawless design of the Macintosh Building.
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| The staircase with arches https://picasaweb.google.com/gsashopandtours |
I would really like to visit that again when it is less full of people. Every space is beautiful, the colours are quite dull and muted but sort of friendly. I am not sure how to explain. A bit like going into a very old school or university building (the kind where the lockers are still made of wood with painted numbers and there are inkwells in the desk) but with less of an institutional feel. At one point we were in a library and met a girl who gives tours around the building. She explained how the library is supposed to resemble a forest clearing with its' columns rising from the floor and tapering to the top. All of the walls are covered with books and the reading area is in the central space surrounded by a higher level terrace.
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| The Library from the upper terrace http://www.scotcities.com/mackintosh/ |
I was obviously going to love it since I am quite interested in Art Noveau jewellery (Lalique etc.) and it felt very strange to have a gorgeous Art Nouveau building in the middle of the (no offence Glaswegians) rather bleak city of Glasgow. I also know of Mackintosh from family holidays to Walberswick in Suffolk, again a rather bleak place but it is the seaside village where Mackintosh is supposed to have done many of his botanical drawings. I wish I had taken pictures of the inside of the building, I am struggling to find any nice ones online!
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| GSA front http://www.scotcities.com/mackintosh/gsa.htm |
I know I should probably talk about the Fine Art Degree Show but I am just going to mention what I think was my favourite piece, at least the most memorable (apart from a certain video which I personally thought was pure shock tactics and didn't say much, unless I just failed to appreciate it, or if the subject was actually the viewers, which I did find much more interesting when I sat with my back to the screen.) I do not know the name of the girl who made this but I shall try to find out.
Basically she had a corner of a room where there were perhaps fifteen bright yellow plastic cassette players with headphones hanging on nails in the wall. If you went near, you would be passed one of these and instructed to put it on. What followed was somewhat similar to a yoga class or a self-help tape only you were asked to fully appreciate everything for five minutes. Her voice guided you around the building and towards other student's work, not in a particular order but just whatever you happened to be looking at when you are asked to walk forwards. I think that anyone who treated the five minutes too pretentiously or chickened-out of following the commands fully would not have got much out of it. If you were prepared to just absorb it, almost like when you suspend your disbelief during a play or a film, then it was fantastic. You are made to get so close to a piece of work that you are basically sniffing it. You must lay flat on the floor. You must lean on one leg with a hand on your hip and scratch your chin whilst observing a work. You are made to believe that Someone is Watching You (not that you don't feel selfconscious already!). And finally you must go to an empty patch of wall and lean your forehead into it. You are now another piece of art. "White looks great against you." I thought it was great. Especially walking through the exhibition the next day seeing other people with yellow cassette players looking awkward as they hesitantly crouch to the floor and being able to share a knowing look like Fight Club or something. Also it made me look at things in that room really hard that earlier I had just dismissed because I thought it was a bit rubbish. Not that it necessarily changed my mind but at least I gave it the time of day.
And onto the Jewellery Graduates! Each student had a little plastic tray of cards under their display cases so here I have tried to show all of the ones I took the cards of because those were my favorites, obviously. Now I really wish I had brought my camera with my for this because some designers I chose because of a particular piece I found really interesting and that may not be what is shown here but nevermind!
In no particular order:
Hazel Mairs
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| http://www.flickr.com/photos/glasgowschoolart/5791140635/in/set-72157626871203260/ |
Bekki Churcher
One of my top three.
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| http://www.theskinny.co.uk/gallery/159-gsa-jewellery-graduates |
"Bekki’s work is a response to the shapes and textures found at St Peter’s Seminary in Cardross, an abandoned building that is slowly being reclaimed by nature." The Skinny
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| http://www.flickr.com/photos/glasgowschoolart/5791703976/in/set-72157626871203260/ |
Daniela Corda
Top three.
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| http://www.flickr.com/photos/glasgowschoolart/5791698346/in/set-72157626871203260/ |
Theresa McCafferty
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| http://www.theskinny.co.uk/gallery/159-gsa-jewellery-graduates |
"Theresa uses the class divisions of 19th century Britain and Charles Dicken’s Oliver Twist as a starting point. She uses traditional precious materials such as silver alongside those perceived to be grotesque, including human hair and dog faeces!
www.theresamccafferty.com" The Skinny
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| http://www.theskinny.co.uk/gallery/159-gsa-jewellery-graduates |
Emily Knight
Top three.
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| http://www.theskinny.co.uk/gallery/159-gsa-jewellery-graduates |
"Influenced by India’s vibrant, bright culture and inspired by the differences between the east and the west, Emily creates pieces with a variety of patterns, colours and hand cut details." The Skinny
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| http://www.flickr.com/photos/glasgowschoolart/5791705274/in/set-72157626871203260/ |
Samera Afzal
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| http://www.flickr.com/photos/glasgowschoolart/5791702784/in/set-72157626871203260/ |
Patrick Davison
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| http://www.flickr.com/photos/glasgowschoolart/5791143807/in/set-72157626871203260/ |
Ok that is all for now! This evening I went to see the Classicist Mary Beard give a talk in Primrose Hill so I shall try to post on that asap!
xxx
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