Serena Korda: Hold Fast, Stand Sure, I Scream a
Revolution
Revolution
- Serena Korda’s new sound sculpture for the Reid Gallery combines
her interest in primitive impulses, invented tradition and our skewed
relationship to nature. - Archival material from the GSA, the Glasgow Women’s
Library and the CCA/Third Eye Centre, which inspired and informed the new work,
will also be on show in the Gallery.
A specially commissioned exhibition of new
work from the leading artist Serena Korda was unveiled in the Reid Gallery at
The Glasgow School of Art today, 6 April 2016 as part of the Supported Programme
of the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art. Hold Fast, Stand Sure, I Scream a
Revolution will be open to the public from 7 –
27 April.
work from the leading artist Serena Korda was unveiled in the Reid Gallery at
The Glasgow School of Art today, 6 April 2016 as part of the Supported Programme
of the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art. Hold Fast, Stand Sure, I Scream a
Revolution will be open to the public from 7 –
27 April.
Serena Korda worked between the two geographic locations
– Glasgow and Mull – to create this new work.
Taking her inspiration from the politically radical history of
Garnethill (the area surrounding the Reid Gallery), whilst considering the
geographical significance of The Isle of Mull as a portal to the underworld. As a centrepiece of the exhibition the artist
has created a field of porcelain mushrooms to be played as bells by a group of
performers. She has collaborated with sound designer/composer Martin Low to
work with teenagers, adults and students from GSA and the Royal Conservatoire
of Scotland, to perform with the bells at the exhibition preview on 7 April and
in a second performance on 15 April.
– Glasgow and Mull – to create this new work.
Taking her inspiration from the politically radical history of
Garnethill (the area surrounding the Reid Gallery), whilst considering the
geographical significance of The Isle of Mull as a portal to the underworld. As a centrepiece of the exhibition the artist
has created a field of porcelain mushrooms to be played as bells by a group of
performers. She has collaborated with sound designer/composer Martin Low to
work with teenagers, adults and students from GSA and the Royal Conservatoire
of Scotland, to perform with the bells at the exhibition preview on 7 April and
in a second performance on 15 April.
In this exhibition Korda continues her investigation into
“thin places” – anomolies in the landscape which were viewed in pre-Christian
times as access points to the afterlife. Garnethill is a village-like
community nestled on a steep hill in the centre of Glasgow, which is situated
on a drumlin. It is an area which has seen the rise of The Glasgow Girls, the
Scottish suffrage movement, The Women’s Library and The Third Eye Centre (now
the CCA).
“thin places” – anomolies in the landscape which were viewed in pre-Christian
times as access points to the afterlife. Garnethill is a village-like
community nestled on a steep hill in the centre of Glasgow, which is situated
on a drumlin. It is an area which has seen the rise of The Glasgow Girls, the
Scottish suffrage movement, The Women’s Library and The Third Eye Centre (now
the CCA).
Inspired by this countercultural history, Korda takes the
mushroom as her starting point for entering these otherworlds. Mushrooms
are imbued in our consciousness as grotesque, magic and poisonous. They
both attract and repulse in equal measure. Closer to humans than to plant life,
this confusing specimen holds us in rapture and fear.As well as this
environmental awakening, Korda draws upon more classical representations of
“thin places” on the Isle of Mull, such as an encounter with the lost village
of Crackaig and its “hanging tree”. Now
upturned, this place is where a witch was allegedly hung. This history of violence, conflict and trauma
infuses a dreamscape of slippages and altered states of consciousness.
mushroom as her starting point for entering these otherworlds. Mushrooms
are imbued in our consciousness as grotesque, magic and poisonous. They
both attract and repulse in equal measure. Closer to humans than to plant life,
this confusing specimen holds us in rapture and fear.As well as this
environmental awakening, Korda draws upon more classical representations of
“thin places” on the Isle of Mull, such as an encounter with the lost village
of Crackaig and its “hanging tree”. Now
upturned, this place is where a witch was allegedly hung. This history of violence, conflict and trauma
infuses a dreamscape of slippages and altered states of consciousness.
|
|
Two of the binaural heads, cast by Korda, which were used to create
a soundscape that forms part of the exhibition
|
Martin Low uses bespoke software to produce the score,
allowing non-musicians to work with complex polyrhythms and slip time
compositions. Korda and Low have also been working with binaural heads, cast by
Korda, to create a soundscape that combines sound poetry, song and field
recordings from Garnethill and Mull. Gallery visitors will be able to wear
headphones around Reid Gallery to experience this new soundscape which delves
in to slippages of time and space. A performance of the bells is being released
as a 7-inch vinyl with sleeve notes by Siôn Parkinson.
allowing non-musicians to work with complex polyrhythms and slip time
compositions. Korda and Low have also been working with binaural heads, cast by
Korda, to create a soundscape that combines sound poetry, song and field
recordings from Garnethill and Mull. Gallery visitors will be able to wear
headphones around Reid Gallery to experience this new soundscape which delves
in to slippages of time and space. A performance of the bells is being released
as a 7-inch vinyl with sleeve notes by Siôn Parkinson.
Alongside the
installation is an archive room comprising of artefacts that form the basis of
Korda’s research into the radicalism of Garnethill and its alternate
spiritualities. These include loans from four archive collections
including Glasgow Girls work from GSA Archives and Collections with a bookplate by Jessie M King and part of a
teaset by Anne MacBeth; ephemera from Glasgow Women’s Library including
posters and badges, from their early inception on Garnethill; loans from CCA,
the Third Eye Centre archive, including film footage from guru Sri Chimnoy visits;
and images from University of Glasgow’s R.D. Laing archive. There is also
reference to the thin places that piqued Korda’s interest on the Isle of Mull
with an exquisite local enthusiasts Ley line map of the Island.
installation is an archive room comprising of artefacts that form the basis of
Korda’s research into the radicalism of Garnethill and its alternate
spiritualities. These include loans from four archive collections
including Glasgow Girls work from GSA Archives and Collections with a bookplate by Jessie M King and part of a
teaset by Anne MacBeth; ephemera from Glasgow Women’s Library including
posters and badges, from their early inception on Garnethill; loans from CCA,
the Third Eye Centre archive, including film footage from guru Sri Chimnoy visits;
and images from University of Glasgow’s R.D. Laing archive. There is also
reference to the thin places that piqued Korda’s interest on the Isle of Mull
with an exquisite local enthusiasts Ley line map of the Island.
|
| The mushroom-bell on which agitators will perform across the run of the exhibition |
During the show run, Korda will produce a series of sound
experiments performed by an army of ‘Agitators’ gathered from the communities
of Garnethill and Mull. The “Agitators” are trained in the art of animating
the porcelain bells and will intervene in the gallery space throughout the show
bringing the bells to life.
experiments performed by an army of ‘Agitators’ gathered from the communities
of Garnethill and Mull. The “Agitators” are trained in the art of animating
the porcelain bells and will intervene in the gallery space throughout the show
bringing the bells to life.
A second GSA exhibition for GI, Light Becomes Silence, sees artist Christina McBride show a series of colour and black & white photographic
works. The photographs, and accompanying new bookwork, chart a journey through
Patagonia made by the artist and Mexican writer Roberto Bravo. The photographs are part of a larger body of
research which uses the analogue medium in response to landscape.
works. The photographs, and accompanying new bookwork, chart a journey through
Patagonia made by the artist and Mexican writer Roberto Bravo. The photographs are part of a larger body of
research which uses the analogue medium in response to landscape.
Ends
Further information:
Lesley Booth
0779 941 4474 / press@gsa.ac.uk
Notes for Editors
·
Serena
Korda: Hold Fast, Stand Sure, I Scream a
Revolution runs in
the Reid Gallery at the GSA from 7
– 27 April 2016. Open Monday – Sunday:
10am – 4.30pm (until 8pm on Thursdays during the GI festival, 14 and 21 April).
Access free
Serena
Korda: Hold Fast, Stand Sure, I Scream a
Revolution runs in
the Reid Gallery at the GSA from 7
– 27 April 2016. Open Monday – Sunday:
10am – 4.30pm (until 8pm on Thursdays during the GI festival, 14 and 21 April).
Access free
·
Christina McBride’s Light Becomes Silence runs
in the Reid corridor from 7 – 30 April 2016 Open Monday – Sunday: 10am – 4.30pm
(until 8pm on Thursdays during the GI festival, 14 and 21 April).
Access free
Christina McBride’s Light Becomes Silence runs
in the Reid corridor from 7 – 30 April 2016 Open Monday – Sunday: 10am – 4.30pm
(until 8pm on Thursdays during the GI festival, 14 and 21 April).
Access free
·
Serena
Korda’s exhibition has been commissioned by The Glasgow School of Art and
Comar, Mull, and is part of Glasgow
International Festival of Visual Art’s Supported Programme. The project is also supported by
Henry Moore Foundation.
Serena
Korda’s exhibition has been commissioned by The Glasgow School of Art and
Comar, Mull, and is part of Glasgow
International Festival of Visual Art’s Supported Programme. The project is also supported by
Henry Moore Foundation.
·
This
exhibition has been delivered in partnership with Comar, Mull, and after
Glasgow International will be shown at Comar. Comar, the name behind An
Tobar and Mull Theatre, two companies with a combined 70 years of
experience in the arts. Comar is a Creative Scotland Regular Funded Organisation that commissions,
develops, produces and tours theatre, dance, music and visual art which is accessible, challenging, dynamic, inspiring and involving. Comar delivers
critically acclaimed productions, performances and exhibitions by world-class
artists. We run an inspiring youth and
community theatre, music, visual art and dance programme and supports the
ground-breaking Argyll Youth Arts Hub. Comar is proud of our developing role as a creative and production hub, working
with other artists, companies and agencies in co-production partnerships,
supporting established and emerging artists and producers. Our organisation aims to reflect and engage with the Mull and Argyll communities and is at the heart of
cultural life of Mull with its venues being a destination and a resource for
everyone. We have an ambitious and encompassing programing
policy which transcends its geographical location. We support and connects artists and audiences from
Mull and Iona and across Scotland and seeks meaningful ways to inspire, inform
and shape its communities through culture and creativity. Comar presents well over 100 events
a year including live music, visual arts, theatre, crafts, dance, film,
literature and comedy.
This
exhibition has been delivered in partnership with Comar, Mull, and after
Glasgow International will be shown at Comar. Comar, the name behind An
Tobar and Mull Theatre, two companies with a combined 70 years of
experience in the arts. Comar is a Creative Scotland Regular Funded Organisation that commissions,
develops, produces and tours theatre, dance, music and visual art which is accessible, challenging, dynamic, inspiring and involving. Comar delivers
critically acclaimed productions, performances and exhibitions by world-class
artists. We run an inspiring youth and
community theatre, music, visual art and dance programme and supports the
ground-breaking Argyll Youth Arts Hub. Comar is proud of our developing role as a creative and production hub, working
with other artists, companies and agencies in co-production partnerships,
supporting established and emerging artists and producers. Our organisation aims to reflect and engage with the Mull and Argyll communities and is at the heart of
cultural life of Mull with its venues being a destination and a resource for
everyone. We have an ambitious and encompassing programing
policy which transcends its geographical location. We support and connects artists and audiences from
Mull and Iona and across Scotland and seeks meaningful ways to inspire, inform
and shape its communities through culture and creativity. Comar presents well over 100 events
a year including live music, visual arts, theatre, crafts, dance, film,
literature and comedy.
·
The artist: Serena Korda (b. 1979, London)
www.serenakorda.com lives and works in London. She studied at Middlesex
University and completed her MA in Printmaking at Royal College of Art in
2009.Through large-scale ensemble performances, film and sculpture she examines
the secret life of objects and our latent desire to find pleasure in fear. Underpinning her practice is a search to find
and highlight ritual in the everyday developed through encounters, conversations
and the researching of abandoned histories. Audiences are often encouraged to
participate at some point in her process creating collective experiences that
often focus on the forgotten and overlooked. In 2013 Korda had a solo
exhibition Aping the Beast at Camden Arts Centre, London and The Grundy Art
Gallery, Blackpool. Her films and performances have been shown in various
exhibitions including: ‘Laid to Rest, Dirt: The Filthy Reality of Everyday
Life’, Wellcome Collection, London (2011); ‘Spaces for the Imagination’ Turner
Contemporary, Margate (2011); and ‘The Library of Secrets’, New Art Gallery
Walsall; Whitstable Biennale (2008/2009).
The artist: Serena Korda (b. 1979, London)
www.serenakorda.com lives and works in London. She studied at Middlesex
University and completed her MA in Printmaking at Royal College of Art in
2009.Through large-scale ensemble performances, film and sculpture she examines
the secret life of objects and our latent desire to find pleasure in fear. Underpinning her practice is a search to find
and highlight ritual in the everyday developed through encounters, conversations
and the researching of abandoned histories. Audiences are often encouraged to
participate at some point in her process creating collective experiences that
often focus on the forgotten and overlooked. In 2013 Korda had a solo
exhibition Aping the Beast at Camden Arts Centre, London and The Grundy Art
Gallery, Blackpool. Her films and performances have been shown in various
exhibitions including: ‘Laid to Rest, Dirt: The Filthy Reality of Everyday
Life’, Wellcome Collection, London (2011); ‘Spaces for the Imagination’ Turner
Contemporary, Margate (2011); and ‘The Library of Secrets’, New Art Gallery
Walsall; Whitstable Biennale (2008/2009).
·
Martin Low is a sound
designer, based on the Isle of Mull and working throughout the UK. He works
creatively with sound in many forms: music, film, television, advertising,
theatre, dance and art: as a musician, programmer, technician, dubbing mixer,
sound supervisor, producer and composer/sound designer.
Martin Low is a sound
designer, based on the Isle of Mull and working throughout the UK. He works
creatively with sound in many forms: music, film, television, advertising,
theatre, dance and art: as a musician, programmer, technician, dubbing mixer,
sound supervisor, producer and composer/sound designer.