IT is an artistic acquisition which has drawn on the history of its surroundings at Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art.
James Rigler's Old Money’ commission refers both to the history of the building and the entrenched privilege it represents with the aim of serving as a reminder that the meaning and value of coins is - like architectural styles - socially constructed, and can evaporate with changing times.
And now GoMA has been awarded the prestigious Jackson Tang Ceramic Award 2020/21 by the Contemporary Art Society which supports a major acquisition of ceramic work, for the commission which has now been installed in the exhibition ‘Domestic Bliss’ in Gallery 4.
The award comes as the venue, run by Glasgow Life delivers culture and leisure services in the city, marked its 25th anniversary.
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When the museum opened, commissions were permanently installed across the building, including significant new craft interventions, and Mr Rigler’s work allows GoMA to reprise the intentions behind these with a bold and ambitious new site-specific ceramic work.
GoMA is housed in Glasgow’s former Royal Exchange building, which was once the economic heart of merchant trade, and the new commission responds to its decorative features and encourages a renewed interrogation of its history.
Taking the form of a new frieze for the interior of the Royal Exchange, ‘Old Money’ is formed of two elements: a plain shelf structure, carefully tailored to the simple circulation space of the 1996 redevelopment; and an informally-arranged collection of metal-leafed ceramic forms.
The building retains its original ornament (columns, carving, extravagant plasterwork and vast spaces) but also displays the crisp minimalism of the 1996 redevelopment. Referring to elegant pediments above the grand doors in GoMA ‘Old Money’ appears as an echo of these details, with a sense of informality reminiscent of household vessels on kitchen shelves, or tools leaning against a shed.
Councillor David McDonald, chairman of Glasgow Life and Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The generous support of the Jackson Tang Award to acquire a striking new work by James Rigler presents an excellent opportunity to celebrate both Glasgow Museums’ significant civic collection, and GoMA’s achievements over the last 25 years in a city renowned for its artists.
“The new commission ‘Old Money’ joins ceramics currently on display in GoMA by Grayson Perry, Emmanuel Cooper, Jesse M King and Chris Bramble and enhances the significant holdings in Glasgow Museums’ collection that represent the ceramic traditions of the city.”
“Our exhibitions and public programmes reflects the diverse interests of the audiences that visit GoMA, recognising the value of the gallery as a social space to gather and share ideas. This acquisition presents opportunities for audiences to engage with the ideas in this work through visits to the gallery and engaging in our programme of online talks and workshops as we celebrate GoMA’s 25th anniversary in 2021”.
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Director of the Contemporary Art Society, Caroline Douglas, said this was the third major ceramic acquisition through the Jackson Tang Ceramic Award and fulfils their ambition to support work that sits in relationship to both fine art and craft traditions.
She added: "We are pleased to support such a prominent member of Glasgow’s artist community and James Rigler’s permanent installation speaks to the architecture and history of this iconic building in the centre of the city.”
Glasgow-based artist Mr Rigler, who has previously exhibited At Every Fading of the Stars in 2015 at Tramway, said: “The ability of architectural decoration to signify a hierarchy of place and space lies at the heart of my practice. GoMA illustrates this to a remarkable degree: from luxurious private residence to elite economic centre and finally a civic gallery; the signs and symbols of its neo-classical architecture continue to speak of power, wealth and significance.
“My work attempts to reveal the overlooked languages of our buildings and spaces to destabilise the power that they continue to exert. Combining a sense of monumentality with a sense of the ridiculous, my sculptures attempt to bridge the gap between the everyday things that populate our lives and the extraordinary, monumental forms of historic architecture.
“Buildings like the Royal Exchange use an arsenal of decorative and architectural details to influence how we access them and respond to them. They celebrate a particular historical narrative and a particular type of historic figure, upholding a hierarchy of place that implies a hierarchy of inhabitants. It is vital that we appreciate the beauty and skilled craftsmanship of such places without also losing sight of the stories of exploitation, violence and cruelty that helped generate them.”
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