Glasgow international Festival of Contemporary Visual Art unveils 2008 programme

 

Glasgow is the only city in Britain that has a strong enough community of resident artists to approach an international standing independent of London. Most other cities in the UK are places where artists come from, but which, if they are ambitious, they leave as soon as possible. This is not cosmopolitan snobbery, but a fact of life. One can be a novelist anywhere, but artists need a community of like-minded souls, a structure for showing and earning a living, and a good enough reason to stay.
Adrian Searle, The Guardian

 

The programme for the third Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art was announced this week (11 February).  Set within a theme of “public/private” the Festival will showcase special commissions and new work by established Glasgow-based artists alongside responses to Glasgow by artists from across the world and pieces by a new generation of artists living and working in the city.  Running from 11-27 April, the Festival will see work shown in over 30 venues alongside installation in a fascinating array of off-site and found spaces.

 

 “Glasgow’s contemporary art scene is recognised globally as one of the most exciting today,” says Francis McKee, curator of the Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art. “The Gi Festival brings together all the key organisations across the spectrum of the Glasgow’s vibrant art scene, presenting a unique event rooted in the achievements of the local artistic community while drawing on the international networks linked to Glasgow.”

 

The 2008 festival is loosely themed around the issue of public and private, but McKee has deliberately left it open so that artists and organisations can interpret it in their own way.  “I felt it was an appropriate theme because so much is changing in Glasgow at the moment”, he adds. “New areas are being developed and the architecture leaves many open spaces but they are seldom genuinely inviting as public space. At the same time, the city’s population is redefining the city in its own way, with different ‘publics’ finding alternative space to flourish. As in any modern city it also becoming increasingly difficult to separate the definitions of public and private – if you walk down the street in a private conversation on a mobile while being filmed by cctv is that a public or private moment?”

 

In Glasgow’s art world there is also a shift in the dynamics of public and private. Public art galleries continue to exist under the auspices a separate trust. Private galleries such as The Modern Institute, Mary Mary and Sorcha Dallas have also got a marked presence. “Each of these functions in a public sense too – cultivating the non-commercial scene in recognition of what it offers to Glasgow as well as working commercially in the city.” McKee continues. “The Modern Institute too has launched a sister organisation called The Common Guild, a dedicated public body and the 2008 Gi Festival one in a series of exhibitions curated by The Common Guild in a private house turned not-for-profit gallery.”

 

 “In a world saturated with information and images, the challenge to artists to articulate their vision of the world and of what art is more difficult than at any time in history,” says Mark O’Neill, Chair of The Gi Festival Artistic Advisory Committee, “The 40 exhibitions across the city in public spaces and non-arts venues will offer the opportunity to see how artists have risen to this challenge. Gi is an unmissable chance to learn to see in new ways, through the eyes of some of the most interesting and creative people in the world today.”

 

GALLERY-BASED EXHIBITIONS
Among the highlights of the gallery-based work commissioned by the 2008 Gi Festival is the largest exhibition in Scotland to date by Turner Prize nominated artist, Jim Lambie. Forever Changes will take over the whole of the ground floor gallery in GoMA and will include a new version of his celebrated ‘black and white vinyl floor. At Tramway, the 20th anniversary programme opens with a major new commission from Jonathan Monk (Tramway 1), Something No Less Important Than Nothing….Nothing No Less Important Than Something, which will highlight one of the architectural features of the space, new work by Stephen Hurrel (Tramway 4) Beneath and Beyond and Rachel Mimiec Betual Pendula (in the Hidden Gardens). At CCA Catherine Yass will show HIGH WIRE, a multi-screen installation focusing on Didier Pasquette’s walk between the Red Road Flats, which was co-commissoned by the Festival and Artangel; Calum Stirling will create a new piece, Rostra Plaza, in The Mitchell Library and at Sorcha Dallas Gallery Alasdair Gray will show for the first time a series of works created for an uncompleted 1970s BBC TV film;  also in association with Sorcha Dallas, Gi Festival will present a group show at the Collins Gallery co-curated by artist Alex Frost. Meanwhile in the Mackintosh Gallery at the Glasgow School of Art three young Chinese artists will show work in an exhibition co-produced by Pi Li of CAFA, Beijing and Coiin Chinnery.

OFF-SITE
In an exciting development, the 2008 Gi Festival will include one of a series of exhibitions being staged by the Common Guild in a private house turned “not for profit” gallery. The recently created organisation dedicated to producing a dynamic international programme of contemporary visual art projects, exhibitions, and events, will show work in the Glasgow house of Turner Prize winning artist, Douglas Gordon. The commission for the Gi Festival will see the first UK solo exhibition by Algerian artist Adel Abdessemed. Meanwhile in an off-site space in the city centre the 2006 Turner Prize winner, Simon Starling, will show a new work inspired by the Glasgow’s cityscape. Also showing work off-site are acclaimed Polish artist Wilhelm Sasnal – a new video and sound based piece commissioned by the Gi Festival; Simon Yuill – a film piece with live music by Foxface at the Gal Gael Boat Yard and Kalup Linzy – the first UK show by the New York-based artist, whose video vignettes offer satirical and subversive takes on pop culture.

 

“NEW GENERATION” IN PROFILE
Also in the spotlight in the third Gi Festival is the new generation of up and coming artists living and working in the city. A.Vermin, the artist-run curatorial project that invites artists to both inhabit and engage with public and private spaces, is to be been given free range in the city centre State bar, using the premises as both gallery and event space. Amongst the highlights of the events will be the launch of latest edition of Uncle Chop Chop Meanwhile Lowsalt, the artist-led, not-for-profit organisation founded in 2006, will show work both in the gallery - a new exhibition by Andrew Reid - and in a series of unexpected places (in alleyways, under bridges, parks, auditoria, or derelict warehouses). Regular bus tours will take visitors to see work, which will include a collaborative project by Raydale Dower and Judd Brucke and a series of inflatable sculptures by Iain Kettles. In the Marker Gallery Hideko Inoue, a recent GSA MFA graduate and New Contemporaries artist will show work alongside two fellow Japanese artists Anti-Cool and Kathy Aoki, and in The Project Room Karen Cunningham, Babe Ghazi and Luca Frei will present a group show.

 

EVENTS, GIGS AND ARTIST TALKS
Amongst the events and gigs highlights include a sole UK appearance by Rodney Graham the seminal Vancouver-based artist, (Commissioned by The Common Guild in collaboration with the Public Art Fund, New York and in association with the Gig Festival 2008); a series of events at Hitherto, GFT and Castlemilk Environmental Trust, and a full programme at SWG3, former Come des Garçons Warehouse, the ground floor of which is being transformed into a fully functioning bar and nightclub open to the public for the duration of the festival. The former wedding car garage will be transformed by artworks to form the interior with a ceiling by Toby Paterson and tables by Jim Lambie.

 

With the support of the Scottish Arts Council, there will be a special international “Curators” visit to the 2008 Gi Festival. Over the first week of the Festival curators form leading galleries across the world will be given the chance to see work by Scottish artists and to experience at first hand the special quality of Glasgow’s visual arts community. Meanwhile Visiting Arts will host a special breakfast event on the opening morning of the Festival.  www.glasgowinternational.org
ENDS                                                                                                                                               February 2008
                                                                                   
Further information from:
Nancy McLardie - Head of PR
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau
Tel: 0141 566 0830
Email: nancy.mclardie@seeglasgow.com

Note to Editors:
High resolution images of Gi are available to download from: www.seeglasgow.com/eventimages

To download a slide show on Gi please click on the following link: http://www2.seeglasgow.com/gi/download.htm

 

Supporting quotes:
The Gi Festival is made possible by support from Event Scotland, Glasgow City Council, Glasgow: Scotland with style, Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Enterprise Glasgow.

 

Paul Bush, Chief Operating Officer at Event Scotland, the national events agency, said: “We welcome back The Gi Festival in its new biennial format. As an organisation, we’ve identified the potential of the festival to focus the attention of the arts movement on one of the most vibrant art communities in the world today. “The programme of events and exhibitions announced today is proof that we can expect another great festival and one which will provide a fantastic showcase for some of the best new works from across the world.”

 

Bailie Liz Cameron, Chair of Culture and Sport Glasgow and Vice-Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said:
“We are truly blessed in Glasgow to have one of the world’s most vibrant artistic communities and it is a joy to see it being celebrated in such an imaginative way. Glasgow international will allow locals and visitors alike to experience a side to the city that they perhaps never knew existed, further reinforcing our credentials as Glasgow: Scotland with style”

 

Amanda Catto, Head of Visual Arts, Scottish Arts Council added:
‘The Scottish Arts Council is delighted to be supporting Glasgow International.  The strength and diversity of the 2008 programme helps to build Scotland’s growing reputation as a centre of excellence in and for the visual arts, nationally and internationally.’

 

Mairi Bell Tourism Manager Scottish Enterprise Glasgow said:
"Glasgow International promotes Glasgow's internationally recognised strength in visual arts and is a key event to help attract niche short break markets to the city. Scottish Enterprise Glasgow is delighted with its progress and is committed to supporting GI to become a biennial event and bring additional visitors to Glasgow."