VisualArt HITLIST THE BEST EXHIBITIONS
K R A L C H T U R
SCULPTURE JAMES MCLARDY: THE SWAN AND HOSTAGE The Duchy, Glasgow, until Sat 25 Aug ●●●●●
James McLardy’s solo show, The Swan and Hostage, is the result of his six-week residency at the Duchy. The title echoes the pub-like feel to the gallery’s name: the swan symbolises the beautiful, the embodiment of potential myths, whereas the hostage signals imprisonment. In turn, this pair of opposites refers to the artist’s active use of concealing and revealing the fake and real nature of his materials. His is a language of acknowledging and subverting the values of both modern objects and techniques of making. The show consists of pedestal objects covered in decorative paint
techniques, including faux tiling, wood graining and imitation bronze patinas. The forms are hard edged and phallic, but also bordering on farcical collapse. This makes them enjoyable to look at. McLardy achieves this with the help of his descriptive titles. ‘Re-Handsoming Enhancer’ is the seedy title given to a collection of objects scattered across the floor. It looks a bit like the throwing of bones to divine a problem. Among these lies an undone bow tie cast in red wax. This object of high-culture has been subverted into something comical and impractical, giving it a new life as formal object – its waxy form spread across the floor in between other strange fragments. Nearby, ‘Y Morals’ stands chunkily erect. The large-scale wooden hourglass
figure is displayed on a waxy base covered with copper leaf which creates a strange looking fake material, referencing old fashioned copper pub tables. Perhaps hinting at the required presence of Y-chromosome genes for normal male development, the shape of the object looks androgynously both like an X and a Y. In a similar questioning of an object’s inherent value and hierarchy of materials McLardy has defaced a green faux tile painted column with pink bubblegum. Its ambiguously naughty title, ‘Putting our finger in the pie, we are the pie and the finger, and the putting’ does exactly that. (Talitha Kotzé)
EMBROIDERED PANELS KAREN L VAUGHAN: I CAN’T GET THAT SOUND YOU MAKE OUT OF MY HEAD The Arches, Glasgow, until Fri 31 Aug ●●●●●
I can’t get that sound you make out of my head is a small display of Karen L Vaughan’s series of embroidery panels in the Arches’ foyer. The works are hand-sewn panels of torn up old clothes from second hand shops, which are re-sewn with carefully embroidered lyrics from songs or found graffiti on top. The slogans are vaguely romantic and more than slightly flaccid, ripped abjectly out of context from songs by the indie likes of the Boo Radleys, Eugene Kelly, Teenage Fanclub or The National, as well as from street graffiti from around the world. One can’t help feeling that they might be more pertinent and effective in their original context. The process seems to be the primary motivator for the work, with an
apparently labour-intensive method of unpicking the clothes and cross-stitching into panel shapes with extremely tidy satin stitch for the words. They are very competently crafted, but it’s difficult to discern any depth below this surface. Admittedly this foyer-cum-waiting-space is a difficult one to work in – bustling,
dark and very noisy, there are too many other things to catch your interest. In fact it would be hard to achieve anything more than a decoration here, with most people waiting for a performance, gig or just a seat in the restaurant. Vaughan certainly struggles with it – ending up with something between indie fan art and embroidery for embroidery’s sake. (Michael Davis)
The Clipperton Project Glasgow Sculpture Studios hosts work emerging from the international initiative that aims to highlight the impact of human activity on some of the world’s most remote places. Glasgow Sculpture Studios, until Sat 27 Oct.
Unlucky for Some Group exhibition celebrating five years of the gallery that champions street art, graffiti, graphic art and abstract painting. See picture caption, page 133. Recoat Gallery, Glasgow, until Sun 12 Aug. Infinite Jest Group show of work at Dundee Contemporary Arts by three artists with an abiding interest in the notion of infinity. Dundee Contemporary Arts, until Sun 26 Aug.
The First of the Summer Wine Work by the Scottish Colourists, Glasgow Boys and Girls, Elizabeth Blackadder and Joan Eardley star in the Gerbers’ enjoyable annual summer exhibition. Cyril Gerber Fine Art, Glasgow, until Fri 31 Aug. Jannis Kounellis New and existing sculptural work from the influential Greek artist, credited with bringing sculptural elements and unconventional materials into painting. Reviewed next issue. Tramway, Glasgow, until Sun 23 Sep.
James McLardy: The Swan and Hostage Showcase of new sculptures by the Glasgow-based artist, which subvert the value of modern objects and the technique of making. See review, right. The Duchy Gallery, Glasgow, until Sat 25 Aug.
Studio 58: Women Artists in Glasgow since WWII Group exhibition focusing on the contribution of women artists to Glasgow’s thriving scene. Mackintosh Museum, Glasgow School of Art, until Sun 30 Sep.
Fiona Tan: Disorient Spectacular two-screen installation created by Amsterdam- born artist Tan – an impressive addition to GoMA’s new Art Fund International collection. Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, until Sun 24 Feb.
132 THE LIST 9–16 Aug 2012