OCAL
From large-scale installations by the stars of the contemporary art world to rough-edged ‘art pubs' run by young local artists, director Francis McKee takes Kirstin Innes through some of the highlights of this year's Glasgow international, and reveals a festival built around a deep and abiding love of the city
‘ hat we‘ve tried to do this year is suggest a loose theme of
‘public and private‘. which runs through many of the curated shows.‘ says l‘rancis McKee. director of the biannual (ilasgow International. talking me through the 7() plus exhibitions. public interventions. club nights and lilm screenings that make up this year’s thoroughly impressive programme. 'They're very pertinent topics to the civic life of Glasgow?
CCA, Fri 11 Apr-Sat 24 May One of the most striking (and terrifying) images of this year's (ii is taken from Yass‘ new lilm
20 THE LIST 10—24 Apr 2008
work. showing l)idier l’asquetle one of the top tightrope walkers in the world 7 setting out along a high wire suspended between (ilasgow‘s iconic Red Road flats.
‘(‘atherine has had a long- standing interest in (ilasgowf sa_vs McKee. ‘What she finds in the Red Road llats is all that utopian promise of the l‘)(i()s (this was going to he a whole new way of living) before they realised it didn‘t really work. and discarded it. And of course. the flats are going to be torn down now. They used to be the highest flats in liurope.
‘l like the way this piece plays with the themes of public and private. You‘ve got the very publicness of this large-scale. spectacular event. where the
Catherine Yass: High Wire
organisers worked with the inhabitants of the flats. ()n the day of the walk. however. the winds were too high in the lilm you see l’asquette start out. full of conlidence. and then there‘s a moment when he realises he's going to have to turn back or he‘ll fall to his death. What you witness is a moment of completely private fear. at the point where he realises he can‘t do it. There was a lot of community support for him. though. l think the residents were very impressed even with the failed attempt.‘
Jim Lambie’s
Jim Lambie
GOMA, Fri 11 Apr-Mon 29 Sep ()ne of the biggest names of this year's programme. the Turner Prize nominee is taking over the whole of the bottom floor of (EOMA with an exhibition of all-
new work. He‘s exactly the sort of
artist. McKee explains. who is perfect for (ii: ‘We do this not just to bring big international artists into (ilasgow. but also to highlight the fact that we have a number of very successful. world- class artists currently living and working in the city. And i think a lot of people in Glasgow don‘t know that. Part of the reason for
having such a concentrated l'esti\al is to get people in the city more involved: you‘ve got an artist like .liiii. whose work is colourful and engaging and accessible and funky. all tied in with his interest in music and club culture. exhibiting in a big. publicly accessible venue like (i()l\1.»\.'l‘his exhibition is perfect for (iif
Sorcha Dallas, Fri 11 Apr-
Sat 17 May
This exhibition is essentially a collection of little-seen works from l‘)75 that the Lunar/v author and artist started in collaboration with Lil l.ochhead and lilmmaker Malcolm llossick. 'lt‘s an interesting choice of exhibition for Sorcha l)allas.' McKee observes. 'lirstly because it‘s picking up an unrealised. long- l'orgotten project. and secondly because it's asserting Alasdair‘s rightful place in the contemporary art scene. He‘s been hugely influential. and that tends to get overlooked becatise his medium is drawing and because at first sight they look very traditional. Behind those drawings. though. there‘s a methodology that lits with contemporary conceptual art.‘
NotYourAveraqe Evenianvent
McLellan Galleries, Sat 19 April The Glasgow School of Arts Masters of Fine Art postgraduate course has produced more Turner Prize-winners and nominees than any other in the country in previous years. The current students are putting on a day where they open their studios to the public. followed by an evening of performance. intervention. sculpture and music.