I have been circulating with other people, places and spaces on my long overdue trip to other parts of the UK. Being away is always a bit of a busman’s holiday.
A brief stop in Manchester included the Peoples History Museum with great banners by Ed Hall and the Hilary Jack exhibition at Castlefield Gallery also wonderful. Next morning was The Lowry with all its bright colours and wonderful collection of yes you guessed it Lowry paintings and drawings.
Onwards to Dumfries and Galloway and a break to see friends and be at the beach with no art agenda, although most of my friends there are artists.
Back on the busman’s holiday and into Glasgow which is always a real treat. Went to see many spaces and many art works, i know i know its not all about quantity but when in Glasgow i like to immerse myself for a while if i can. Firstly Mary Mary on Dixon Street was showing Alistair Frost and Gerda Scheepers exploring a ‘certain kind of motif making’ which had left me with all sorts of ideas to develop, then onwards to see work British Art Show 7 at the Gallery of Modern Art but it was Kate Davis’ Peace at Last’, response to Glasgow’s Museum Collections with images of Goya and Jo Spence alongside her own works that were of real interest to me. On route to the Modern Institute an empty shop project Gallacher and Warren’s Nothing Fades Quicker than Yesterdays Ideas about Tomorrow exploring ‘fashionable vernaculars of ‘regeneration architecture’ that are played out across many post industrial cities’ www.gallacherandwarren.com . It was a smart looking show with interesting concepts and materials which i really enjoyed. Onwards to the Modern Institute to Urs Fischer & Georg Herold’s situation of a figurative life sculpture class complete with reclining life model. It was a beautiful work to see http://www.themoderninstitute.com/current-and-fort… . Transmission just around the corner next and the members show, featuring some really striking pieces and then last gallery stop of the day was Street Level Photoworks showing Gina Glover’s Playgrounds of War http://streetlevelphotoworks.org/streetlevel/archi… i was particularly interested in the ‘rejuvenating corrosion of nature’ within the work. It has been interesting to reflect on each venue, the way it uses it space and resources. The mission statement being an all important focus for communicating intentions. I’m wondering how the Satellite mission may be evolving.
Next morning the Centre for Contemporary Arts and more of the British Art Show, Wolfgang Tillmans Freischwimmer 155 made without a camera was impressive and Truth Study Centre Tillmans collection of printed materials on subjects of current concern to him made for sometimes very disturbing but entirely necessary viewing. A walk through a sunny Kelvingrove park was a treat as was the Museum with an exhibition by Patricia Cain Drawing (on) Riverside, an extensive and muti-media exhibition of work produced about the construction of the Riverside Museum on the river Clyde http://www.patriciacain.com/index.html . I always find Glasgow so lively with so many types of spaces and people I’m thinking i it would be great to work there both developing my own practice but also doing a Satellite project.
After a further non arts week in Fife, again spending much needed time at the beach, onwards and downwards to Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art to see Richard Forster’s new exhibition Fast and Slow Time. Richard was a speaker at our first Satellite in-conversation event (alongside Susan Collis) at Norwich Arts Centre. We tried to meet up for a cuppa but it wasn’t to be and i had to settle for seeing the exhibition which was awe inspiring, the drawings have to be seen to be believed, go visit… http://www.visitmima.com/exhibitions/currentdetail… .
So…i have been to many spaces and seen many art works and am left reflecting on both my own practice but also what Satellite is and where it could be going. Who might we want to work with and equally who might want to work with us? Which brings me to an offer of possible collaboration with an artist run space. Dominique and i are going to discuss ideas on Thursday so news of that after then.
Nicola Naismith
