14 months on from the
fire that robbed them of a Degree Show, 90 of the artists unveil new work in a
major group show.
- Five floors of the Reid Building turned into a Fine Art gallery
- First showing of work made during the Phoenix Bursary residencies
- A number of Degree Show projects restaged
- Many of the works on show available for purchase
The Phoenix Bursary
exhibition, which opens to the public on Friday 24 July, sees the GSA’s Reid Building
transformed into an art gallery. The exhibition is the culmination of the
Phoenix Bursary programme, a GSA initiative which was supported by a £750k
grant from the Scottish Government. Through the programme the artists who were
affected by the fire in the Mackintosh Building were offered up to 15 weeks
studio time, a bursary and a materials budget to enable them to rebuild their
practice and make new work. 100 of 102 graduates took up the opportunity with
around half staying in Glasgow where they are able to benefit not only from on-going
direct support from the GSA, but from the city’s wider visual arts community. Others
were based in 21 of the GSA’s sister institutions in the UK, USA, mainland
Europe, central and southern America and even as far away as Mongolia.
exhibition, which opens to the public on Friday 24 July, sees the GSA’s Reid Building
transformed into an art gallery. The exhibition is the culmination of the
Phoenix Bursary programme, a GSA initiative which was supported by a £750k
grant from the Scottish Government. Through the programme the artists who were
affected by the fire in the Mackintosh Building were offered up to 15 weeks
studio time, a bursary and a materials budget to enable them to rebuild their
practice and make new work. 100 of 102 graduates took up the opportunity with
around half staying in Glasgow where they are able to benefit not only from on-going
direct support from the GSA, but from the city’s wider visual arts community. Others
were based in 21 of the GSA’s sister institutions in the UK, USA, mainland
Europe, central and southern America and even as far away as Mongolia.
“In the aftermath of the fire we wanted to support the students who had
lost out on Degree Show which is one of the most important moments in their
development as artists,” says Professor Tom Inns, Director of The Glasgow School of Art.
lost out on Degree Show which is one of the most important moments in their
development as artists,” says Professor Tom Inns, Director of The Glasgow School of Art.
“With the generous support of the Scottish Government and our sister
institutions at home and abroad we were able to offer all the artists the
opportunity to take time to develop their practice and make new work. The
programme enabled them to spend time in some of the world’s leading art schools
or visit places they might never have been able to. We are sure that the
experience will have a formative influence on their practice going forward.
institutions at home and abroad we were able to offer all the artists the
opportunity to take time to develop their practice and make new work. The
programme enabled them to spend time in some of the world’s leading art schools
or visit places they might never have been able to. We are sure that the
experience will have a formative influence on their practice going forward.
Today we are delighted to unveil this group exhibition of new work much
of which is an outcome of the Phoenix Bursary residencies.”
of which is an outcome of the Phoenix Bursary residencies.”
Acting Minister for Children and Young People
Fiona McLeod said:
Fiona McLeod said:
“I feel privileged to
be one of the first to see the Exhibition and I look forward to meeting with
all of the artists, hearing how the bursary support has helped them, and seeing
the work they have produced.
be one of the first to see the Exhibition and I look forward to meeting with
all of the artists, hearing how the bursary support has helped them, and seeing
the work they have produced.
“The fire in the
Mackintosh building was a deeply upsetting event for GSA, its students, staff
and people both at home and abroad. The Scottish Government was delighted to be
able to assist the students affected by it through the Phoenix Bursary
programme.”
Mackintosh building was a deeply upsetting event for GSA, its students, staff
and people both at home and abroad. The Scottish Government was delighted to be
able to assist the students affected by it through the Phoenix Bursary
programme.”
“The Phoenix Bursary programme has been an incredible opportunity for
the artists,” says Sam de Santis a GSA Fine Art Photography graduate who
has run the programme for the GSA. “It has
helped them to recover from the traumatic experience of the fire and the
disappointment at losing Degree Show which is a seminal moment for all art
students. Equally importantly it has helped to smooth the difficult transition from
full time study and professional practice.
the artists,” says Sam de Santis a GSA Fine Art Photography graduate who
has run the programme for the GSA. “It has
helped them to recover from the traumatic experience of the fire and the
disappointment at losing Degree Show which is a seminal moment for all art
students. Equally importantly it has helped to smooth the difficult transition from
full time study and professional practice.
“Being able to use the Reid Building for the exhibition has been hugely
exciting,” adds Sukaina Kubba who curated the exhibition. “Its architect, Steven Holl, created a fully flexible building which can
be turned to many academic and creative uses. This is the first time that the
building as a whole has been used for a Fine Art exhibition and it has been a
fascinating experience working with the structure of the different spaces.”
exciting,” adds Sukaina Kubba who curated the exhibition. “Its architect, Steven Holl, created a fully flexible building which can
be turned to many academic and creative uses. This is the first time that the
building as a whole has been used for a Fine Art exhibition and it has been a
fascinating experience working with the structure of the different spaces.”
Work spanning the full
range of media from painting and printmaking to video and sound works, photography,
sculptural installation and performance is spread over five floors of the
award-winning building with the artists making full use of the spaces including
the signature “driven voids”.
range of media from painting and printmaking to video and sound works, photography,
sculptural installation and performance is spread over five floors of the
award-winning building with the artists making full use of the spaces including
the signature “driven voids”.
|
| Rae-Yen Song Pinnywinkis inspired by the story of Alesoun Balfour of Stenness |
In one of the voids Rae-Yen Song
has installed a huge disjointed finger. Part
of Pinnywinkis, the work is inspired
by the story of Alesoun Balfour of Stenness who in
the late 16th century was implicated in a plot to murder the
notorious Orkney Earl, Patrick Stewart. Arrested and tortured she
refused to confess. Even the torture of her husband and son failed to extract a
confession. It was only when her seven-year-old
daughter was taken and her fingers crushed in the “piniwinkies” – a
thumbscrew – the Balfour capitulated and confessed to being a witch, a
confession she renounced on the day of her execution.
In another of the voids Katy Hassall has installed oke aɪm hɪər – the outcome of a 3-month
residency in Glasgow University’s Linguistics and Phonetics department. Four
spectograms are draped across different levels of the void, each visually representing significant
dialogues from the past year. At the base of the void, a timed electrical fan
generates regular upward movements, embodying breath. In a number of
performances opera singers will explore the resonance of the selected texts
within the circular space of the void.
residency in Glasgow University’s Linguistics and Phonetics department. Four
spectograms are draped across different levels of the void, each visually representing significant
dialogues from the past year. At the base of the void, a timed electrical fan
generates regular upward movements, embodying breath. In a number of
performances opera singers will explore the resonance of the selected texts
within the circular space of the void.
|
| Part of Caitlin Merret King’s installation that references Daniel Buren’s controversial installation at the Palais Royal |
|
| Isabella Widger’s multi-media installation |
Works on the ground
floor range in scale from Caitlin Merrett King’s over- sized stuffed soft objects
that reference Daniel Buren’s controversial installation at the Palais Royal in
Paris to Richard Krantz’ the spotting scope to view a miniature 3D-print
of the himself wearing a Superman costume. The model itself will be installed
on the Director’s Office balcony on the Mackintosh Building. Amongst the other works
in the in the ground floor Reid Gallery is Winnie Herbstein’s And so, in silence. Herbstein spent her Phoenix Bursary residency in Mexico. The video work was filmed outside the
Palacio de Bellas Artes in Centro Histórico, Mexico City on 20 November
2014, a day when thousands took to the streets across the country to protest at
the violent disappearance of the 43 student teachers. Tim Dalzell meanwhile presents a collection of objects through museum-like format
in order to explore the infamous voice of AT&T’s ‘Rich’ and absurdly pay
homage to the character. Isabella Widger had the best of both worlds
for her Phoenix Bursary residency spending part of it in New York and part in
Glasgow. The works produced for the exhibition form
an installation-like display of objects developed through the employment of various modes of production such as
digital printing, laser cutting, wood turning, bronze casting, clay modeling
and sewing. Frank McElhinney who recently won
the Jill
Todd Photographic Award, returns to his Degree Show idea of making a wall
drawing and invites the public to contribute to his new work which when
complete will have over 2 million points of intersection.
floor range in scale from Caitlin Merrett King’s over- sized stuffed soft objects
that reference Daniel Buren’s controversial installation at the Palais Royal in
Paris to Richard Krantz’ the spotting scope to view a miniature 3D-print
of the himself wearing a Superman costume. The model itself will be installed
on the Director’s Office balcony on the Mackintosh Building. Amongst the other works
in the in the ground floor Reid Gallery is Winnie Herbstein’s And so, in silence. Herbstein spent her Phoenix Bursary residency in Mexico. The video work was filmed outside the
Palacio de Bellas Artes in Centro Histórico, Mexico City on 20 November
2014, a day when thousands took to the streets across the country to protest at
the violent disappearance of the 43 student teachers. Tim Dalzell meanwhile presents a collection of objects through museum-like format
in order to explore the infamous voice of AT&T’s ‘Rich’ and absurdly pay
homage to the character. Isabella Widger had the best of both worlds
for her Phoenix Bursary residency spending part of it in New York and part in
Glasgow. The works produced for the exhibition form
an installation-like display of objects developed through the employment of various modes of production such as
digital printing, laser cutting, wood turning, bronze casting, clay modeling
and sewing. Frank McElhinney who recently won
the Jill
Todd Photographic Award, returns to his Degree Show idea of making a wall
drawing and invites the public to contribute to his new work which when
complete will have over 2 million points of intersection.
Also on the ground floor Rachel Forrest shows photographs taken during her residency in
Iceland. The images show glimpses of her time there as the country moved deeper
into winter. Taken on 35mm film with her grandfather’s 1980s Canon SureShot,
the images reflect the dramatic vastness of a white landscape, of a
tourist-friendly map in an unforgiving wilderness, the geographical and
emotional relief of an inhabited settlement and the desolate ice-covered roads
gliding over a hostile environment.
Iceland. The images show glimpses of her time there as the country moved deeper
into winter. Taken on 35mm film with her grandfather’s 1980s Canon SureShot,
the images reflect the dramatic vastness of a white landscape, of a
tourist-friendly map in an unforgiving wilderness, the geographical and
emotional relief of an inhabited settlement and the desolate ice-covered roads
gliding over a hostile environment.
|
| A still from Lydia Levett’s film shot at St Peter’s, Cardross |
The
first floor studios have been turned into a gallery for sound and video works. Jane Beran shows Farbfilm Notizen (Colour Film Notes) that explores memory through
projections of images of a private archive – slides from a photographic archive
assembled by her grandfather between 1967 and 1989. The images document his view
of East German society of the time. Caitlin
Alexandera Robinson looks back
at gender roles in mid-20th Century advertising.
The audio, taken from original adverts, shows how the differences between
genders were emphasised to the point that they were almost a parody of
themselves. Through the video she seeks to question lightheartedly these
lingering, yet damaging, cultural ideas of gender. Lydia
Levett shows a video piece exploring and questioning process and what it
means to make work. Her piece is inspired by the first ever Geodesic Dome,
which was made from venetian blinds by Buckminster Fuller. Despite hopes of
utopia and reform, the project was a failure. The film was shot in St Peters
Seminary, a project holding similar dreams to those of Fuller but likewise met
a similar end.
first floor studios have been turned into a gallery for sound and video works. Jane Beran shows Farbfilm Notizen (Colour Film Notes) that explores memory through
projections of images of a private archive – slides from a photographic archive
assembled by her grandfather between 1967 and 1989. The images document his view
of East German society of the time. Caitlin
Alexandera Robinson looks back
at gender roles in mid-20th Century advertising.
The audio, taken from original adverts, shows how the differences between
genders were emphasised to the point that they were almost a parody of
themselves. Through the video she seeks to question lightheartedly these
lingering, yet damaging, cultural ideas of gender. Lydia
Levett shows a video piece exploring and questioning process and what it
means to make work. Her piece is inspired by the first ever Geodesic Dome,
which was made from venetian blinds by Buckminster Fuller. Despite hopes of
utopia and reform, the project was a failure. The film was shot in St Peters
Seminary, a project holding similar dreams to those of Fuller but likewise met
a similar end.
|
| Minnie Carver’s triptych of paintings |
Ascending
the circuit of connection from the first to the second floor the viewer
encounters a triptych of paintings by Minnie
Carver created over the entirety of the 15 week bursary period, the
piece is based on Minnie’s 2014 degree show exhibition which was entirely
destroyed in the Mackintosh Building fire.
the circuit of connection from the first to the second floor the viewer
encounters a triptych of paintings by Minnie
Carver created over the entirety of the 15 week bursary period, the
piece is based on Minnie’s 2014 degree show exhibition which was entirely
destroyed in the Mackintosh Building fire.
Sculptural installations by Adam Quinn and Lin Chau in the Refectory
On the second floor in the mezzanine studios Deborah Lobban shows quilts with imagery inspired by two East
Enders storylines, Rae-Yen Song shows another of her works inspired by the
story of Alesoun Balfour in this gallery and Alexander Haukrogh
Jensen has created
an installation of quirky pieces including Steak
Bagette and Lyttletrumpet.
Meanwhile, in the refectory two large-scale
but contrasting sculptural works dominate the space. Adam Quinn’s minimalist concrete installation sits alongside Lin Chau’s living sculpture of plants that
will grow throughout the duration of the exhibition
Enders storylines, Rae-Yen Song shows another of her works inspired by the
story of Alesoun Balfour in this gallery and Alexander Haukrogh
Jensen has created
an installation of quirky pieces including Steak
Bagette and Lyttletrumpet.
Meanwhile, in the refectory two large-scale
but contrasting sculptural works dominate the space. Adam Quinn’s minimalist concrete installation sits alongside Lin Chau’s living sculpture of plants that
will grow throughout the duration of the exhibition
Installations by Mark Wallis and Sean McManus
Some
of the artists exhibiting on the fourth floor are revisiting work planned for Degree
Show. Mark Wallis, who spent his
Phoenix Bursary residency in Argentina, has made a new multi-media installation
including a jacket of cigarette packets that had been part of his Degree Show
presentation. Sean McManus’s Degree
Show presentation featuring pieces from a 1940s traditional kitchen was in a
studio in the west wing of the building, but remarkably survived mainly intact.
He has recreated the piece for the Phoenix Bursary Exhibition with some elements of the work
retaining the traces of the fire. Meanwhile among the other works in
the space is an installation by Emma Zetterstrom who has created
a large-scale “Newton’s Balls” executive toy from Scots Pine needles the scent
of which permeates the air.
of the artists exhibiting on the fourth floor are revisiting work planned for Degree
Show. Mark Wallis, who spent his
Phoenix Bursary residency in Argentina, has made a new multi-media installation
including a jacket of cigarette packets that had been part of his Degree Show
presentation. Sean McManus’s Degree
Show presentation featuring pieces from a 1940s traditional kitchen was in a
studio in the west wing of the building, but remarkably survived mainly intact.
He has recreated the piece for the Phoenix Bursary Exhibition with some elements of the work
retaining the traces of the fire. Meanwhile among the other works in
the space is an installation by Emma Zetterstrom who has created
a large-scale “Newton’s Balls” executive toy from Scots Pine needles the scent
of which permeates the air.
The Phoenix Bursary Exhibition
will run in the Reid Building from
Friday 24 July – Sunday 2 August 2015:
Mon-Thur 10am – 9pm;
Fri 10am – 7pm;
Sat-Sun 10am – 5pm.
Last entry 30 minutes
before closing. Entry Free.
will run in the Reid Building from
Friday 24 July – Sunday 2 August 2015:
Mon-Thur 10am – 9pm;
Fri 10am – 7pm;
Sat-Sun 10am – 5pm.
Last entry 30 minutes
before closing. Entry Free.
Many of the works on
show will be available for purchase.
show will be available for purchase.
A catalogue will also be
available priced £10.
available priced £10.
Ends
Further information:
Lesley Booth,
0779 941 4474
press@gsa.ac.uk
Lesley Booth,
0779 941 4474
press@gsa.ac.uk
Notes for Editors
Through the Phoenix
Bursary programme each artist received up to 15 weeks studio time with a weekly
stipend of £315 and up to £1,000 for materials together with some academic
support.
Bursary programme each artist received up to 15 weeks studio time with a weekly
stipend of £315 and up to £1,000 for materials together with some academic
support.
Almost half of the
artists elected to stay in Glasgow where they are able to benefit not only from
on-going direct support from the GSA, but from the city’s wider visual arts
community.
artists elected to stay in Glasgow where they are able to benefit not only from
on-going direct support from the GSA, but from the city’s wider visual arts
community.
Artists receiving a
Phoenix Bursary were generously supported by:
Phoenix Bursary were generously supported by:
Art Institute Chicago, USA
Bergen Academy of Art and Design, Norway
California College of Art, San Francisco, USA
Concordia, Montreal, Canada
Emily Carr, Vancouver, Canada
Iceland Academy of the Arts, Reykjavik, Iceland
Leeds College of Art, England
Leipzig Academy of Visual Arts, Germany
Leith School of Art, Edinburgh, Scotland
Manchester School of Art, England
Massachsetts College of Art and Design, Boston, USA
Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture, Ulan Bator, Mongolia
Oslo National Academy of the
Arts, Norway
Arts, Norway
Pratt Institute, New York, USA
Rhode Island School of Design, USA
SOMA Institute, Mexico
City
SOMA Institute, Mexico
City
University of the Arts Berlin, Germany
University of the Arts Helsinki, Finland
University of the Arts London (Camberwell college of Art), England
The University of Edinburgh, Scotland
The Glasgow Sculpture Studios,
Glasgow
Glasgow
The Whisky Bond, Glasgow
Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland
In addition artists went
to Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong
and Singapore.
to Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong
and Singapore.