A Beautiful Living Thing, a film by artist Ross Birrell (2015) which was made in the Mackintosh
Building in the aftermath of the fire, will have its first public screening today,
Friday 17 April 2015 as part of the Building On: Mackintosh symposium. Shot inside the burned out library and
corridors of “the Mack” in late December 2014 and early January 2015, the film
was produced by Jo Crotch, postgraduate
programme leader
in the Mackintosh School of Architecture at the GSA, and features a recording
of specially-composed music performed inside the ruined library by Bill
Chandler of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The piece is as part of a major
GSA programme of research aligned to the restoration of the building.
Building in the aftermath of the fire, will have its first public screening today,
Friday 17 April 2015 as part of the Building On: Mackintosh symposium. Shot inside the burned out library and
corridors of “the Mack” in late December 2014 and early January 2015, the film
was produced by Jo Crotch, postgraduate
programme leader
in the Mackintosh School of Architecture at the GSA, and features a recording
of specially-composed music performed inside the ruined library by Bill
Chandler of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The piece is as part of a major
GSA programme of research aligned to the restoration of the building.
Image: Bill
Chandler performs in the Mackintosh Library.
Chandler performs in the Mackintosh Library.
A still from A Beautiful Living Thing (2015), an
artwork by Ross Birrell
artwork by Ross Birrell
‘Let every artist strive to make his flower a beautiful living thing,
something that
will convince the world that there may be, there are, things
more precious more
beautiful – more lasting than life itself.’
something that
will convince the world that there may be, there are, things
more precious more
beautiful – more lasting than life itself.’
C R Mackintosh “Seemliness” (Glasgow, 1902)
In the immediate aftermath of the fire, Ross Birrell – who
teaches at the GSA and has worked in the Mackintosh building for 20 years – was
one of many GSA colleagues who volunteered to help with the retrieval of artifacts from
the damaged part of the building. Whilst working on the retrieval operation,
the artist recognized that the fire had in its improvisation produced a new composition
and that it should be recognized and recorded as such. The building had not only survived, it had remained an inspirational work of art. It remained,
in Mackintosh’s words, ‘a beautiful
living thing’.
teaches at the GSA and has worked in the Mackintosh building for 20 years – was
one of many GSA colleagues who volunteered to help with the retrieval of artifacts from
the damaged part of the building. Whilst working on the retrieval operation,
the artist recognized that the fire had in its improvisation produced a new composition
and that it should be recognized and recorded as such. The building had not only survived, it had remained an inspirational work of art. It remained,
in Mackintosh’s words, ‘a beautiful
living thing’.
Mackintosh’s description of a work of art became the basis of the
composition for solo violin which forms the foundation of a film which is
composed of slow-moving tracking shots and forensic close up details.
composition for solo violin which forms the foundation of a film which is
composed of slow-moving tracking shots and forensic close up details.
A Beautiful Living Thing was produced by Jo Crotch,
an architect and teacher at the Mackintosh School of Architecture at the GSA.
Her research explores embodied experience and memory which has resulted in a
phenomenological approach to learning and teaching in the design of place. She
has previously worked with RSNO violinist Bill Chandler exploring the
experience and understanding of space via music. A Beautiful Living Thing is the first part of a larger body of work
which will attempt to explore music and movement in a variety of constructed
situations within the fire damaged Mackintosh Building and aims to follow the
path from damage through restoration to completion.
an architect and teacher at the Mackintosh School of Architecture at the GSA.
Her research explores embodied experience and memory which has resulted in a
phenomenological approach to learning and teaching in the design of place. She
has previously worked with RSNO violinist Bill Chandler exploring the
experience and understanding of space via music. A Beautiful Living Thing is the first part of a larger body of work
which will attempt to explore music and movement in a variety of constructed
situations within the fire damaged Mackintosh Building and aims to follow the
path from damage through restoration to completion.
A Beautiful Living Thing is dedicated to the Scottish Fire & Rescue Services and the Staff and Students of The Glasgow School of Art.
A
further screening of A Beautiful Living Thing will take place in Edinburgh’s
Playfair Library Hall (accessed through Talbot Rice Gallery). on 23 April, 7pm-8pm.
further screening of A Beautiful Living Thing will take place in Edinburgh’s
Playfair Library Hall (accessed through Talbot Rice Gallery). on 23 April, 7pm-8pm.
Ends
Further
information
information
Lesley
Booth
Booth
0779 941
4474 / press@gsa.ac.uk
4474 / press@gsa.ac.uk
Notes for Editors
A Beautiful Living Thing (2015), conceived,
composed and directed: Ross Birrell; Violin: Bill Chandler; Camera: Hugh Watt;
Producer: Jo Crotch.
composed and directed: Ross Birrell; Violin: Bill Chandler; Camera: Hugh Watt;
Producer: Jo Crotch.
A Beautiful Living Thing screening at the Talbot Rice runs alongside Ross Birrell & David
Harding’s current exhibition, Where language ends, Talbot Rice Gallery, 14
Mar-2 May 2015
Harding’s current exhibition, Where language ends, Talbot Rice Gallery, 14
Mar-2 May 2015