Fare
Thee Well Glynn Viv, Hurry Back
Soon…
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| Glynn Vivian Art Gallery redevelopment © Powell Dobson Architects |
The Great Mother of the Swansea art scene has closed her doors for business awaiting a scrumptious new make-over in the shape of a multi-million pound refurb. Having dispersed her fairy art children throughout the city to continue their creative crusade in her absence, the Glynn Vivian awaits extensive redevelopment that includes complete conservation of the historical 1911 building.
Already feeling the loss?
The good news is that it’ll mean tons more vibrant visual display
spaces, a brand new lecture theatre and community room, and an
inspired social space, complete with refreshment facilities and WiFi.
The bad news is that we have to eagerly sit on our hands awhile as
good things take time and patience, but do eventually come to those
who wait! So as we anticipate the 2014 launch let’s reminisce upon
some of the Glynn Viv’s recent best bits, and take an animated look
at electrifying off-site events to come.
Primarily taking place in
community venues such as the Central Library and YMCA, the gallery
will continue to host its usual busy programme of art workshops,
events, talks, film and live music. Speaking on behalf of the Glynn
Vivian, Katy Freer promises an exciting collaborative project with
Birmingham-based IKON Gallery to be shown at Swansea’s Mission
Gallery in late 2012, as well as some thrillingly impromptu pop-up
exhibits by local artists, up-to-date details of which may be found
on the gallery’s new blog: www.glynnvivian.com.
But if you can’t wait, here’s some art-centric memorialising to
get you all starry-eyed…
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| Maleonn Ma King of the Ridiculous, 2011 |
Recognizable for her 2006
Venice Biennale entry sculpture Beast, Welsh artist Laura
Ford’s June 2011 exhibition, Beast and Other Works, was
refreshingly unorthodox. Tactile and familiar with a strangely
uncanny psychological undertone, it was a show that proved popular
with visitors, creating an impending and substantial impression in
the Atrium. Showing at the same time in the
main gallery was I
Know Something About Love part ll, organised by Parasol Unit,
London. Investigating themes of love (and loss) in diverse times and
cultures, the exhibition included film and installation pieces by
three artists: Yang
Fudong , Christodoulos Panayiotou, and, a personal favourite, Shirin
Neshat. The positioning of these two arresting shows together
revealed an inspired piece of curatorship, as their respectively dark
undercurrents offset one another nicely in a fluid spatial
continuation of comparable themes. Similarly, Mark Wallinger curated
exposition The
Russian Linesman,
2009, focussed upon unsettling the limits of spectatorship.
Flaunting mixed media pieces it interrogatingly distorted the
boundaries between perceptions and reality, and accordingly proved a
challengingly stimulating hit with visitors.
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| © Eva Bartusse |
Taking
a momentarily critical view, both of these shows are linked not only
in terms of accomplishment, but in budget also. For great,
long-running exhibits by internationally acclaimed artists require
big bucks. The danger here, as always, is that national economic
difficulties will inhibit arts funding, and thus exhibition quality
will diminish accordingly. Tough times will inevitably call for
radical measures if monotony and diminution are to be avoided.
Inspired curatorialship and user-responsive programming are required
if the Glynn Vivian is to retain her eminent position as Matriarch of
our domestic arts scene. Because witnessing the plethora of
supportive visitors who turned out to bid the gallery a fond
farewell, the pressing public need for great arts resources in
Swansea became vibrantly clear. So let’s hope the Glynn Viv
delivers in rousing abundance upon her return!
By Jess Hughes
By Jess Hughes
