IHAVE lived in this Glasgow south-side flat for six years.
A friend had lived here previously, and when I moved back to the city after a couple of years on Arran, they happened to be moving out so I moved in. I knew all the neighbours, so it was a lucky happenstance. The place has happy memories for me.
I can often be found here in the lounge obsessively tidying. It's one of the reasons I live on my own. The flat is a place for relaxing. My other half has a place in the west end so I get the best of both sides of the city. I never have people round. This is my bolt-hole: I close the door and the real world ceases to exist.
I watch a lot of movies but I also listen to the radio a lot. When I'm in here I just love sitting doing nothing. I would die without radios. I have them on non-stop.
In terms of the decor, the living room has an oriental feel, but nothing gaudy, I find the oriental style classy and minimal. I'm a fan of minimalism. I used to live in a house that was pretty much empty. It had a sofa bed and a sofa which friends made me buy. I didn't have a cooker or anything.
Someone who was genuinely into oriental culture would probably be horrified by the things I've got in the house. It could be 12th-century or made an hour ago, as long as it looks nice. I love Chinese films and music as well.
I've never been out to that part of the world, but my dad was a prisoner of war for 18 months during the Korean war. He spoke of it a little bit. He suffered from terrible night terrors. At one point during his imprisonment he got his appendix removed but with no anaesthetic. He was 21 years old.
He never had any bitterness against the Chinese, he loved their culture. When he had first arrived out there he sent back this enormous 80-piece tea set to his mum. It got passed back to him when she died so that was always in our house when I was growing up.
I collect contemporary art but I'm always changing artworks about because it gives you a fresh perspective, rather than just walking by something every day. If you see a kid playing with a doll's house, they are always moving things around and that's what I do with this flat. I am surrounded by art all the time and I go to a lot of openings, so that's why I sometimes enjoy getting outside and going for a walk or a cycle for a complete change of scene.
Gary Gilday is gallery events manager at Glasgow Art Club www.glasgowartclub.co.uk
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