Scottish Art News: December 2015
Throughout December, as well as the art and design markets listed in another feature, there are openings and celebrations across the country.
December appropriately begins with Endings, Lucy Parker’s current show in Rhubaba gallery, as reviewed in this issue. A closing party will be held on Friday 4 December from 6.30pm, just before the last weekend of the show, and Rhubaba has invited several different academics and researchers to discuss its themes. At the time of writing, Parker herself is in the process of considering how to end her forthcoming documentary about the blacklisting of construction workers, with plans to consult a lawyer who will present the juridical understanding of the ending.
Still in Edinburgh, Ross Sinclair launches the Free Instruments for Teenagers record in Collective Gallery on 5 December. Working with the gallery, Sinclair gave away guitars, basses, drums and singing lessons to young people born in the previous 20 years. Marking the 20th anniversary of his own Real Life practice, this project was Sinclair’s contribution to the GENERATION events last summer. This record presents the results of the ongoing support provided to the bands to write, record and perform new music, with three of the acts set to perform at the event.
Now onto Glasgow, where there is a performance in the CCA as part of ArtCOP Scotland, an arts festival coinciding with COP21 – UN Climate Change Negotiations taking place in Paris until 11 December. On 6 December, established performance artists Nic Green, Laura Bradshaw and Rosana Cade present Cock and Bull. Taking place during the COP21 proceedings, the performers will recite the 'most heard phrases from governmental rhetoric, to dismantle and redress dominant paradigms of power and politics.' They name in particular 'Tory tongue-speak' as a particular reference for this work. Cock and Bull begins at 3pm, and is free but ticketed.
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For their latest exhibition, Summerhall bring together choreographer Riccardo Buscarini and visual artist Richard Taylor. Sited in the Laboratory Gallery, together Buscarini and Taylor intend to transport the glass cabinets into “living archives to explore memory, intimacy and exposure.” To this end, ready-made object, sculpture and sound are partnered with live and recorded performances. For the opening and closing events (keep an eye on the Summerhall website for more information), there will be live performances of the work. Titled In Parting Glass, the exhibition is open daily from 12 December.
In the CCA, from 11 December YAKA Collective present White Mountain. Consisting of seven artists based in Glasgow, who have an interest in spatially and visually impactful installations and sculptures, YAKA will be considering ideas of the gateway, legend, and demystification. They continue their research into their shared interests of a sense of 'otherness' and responding the traditional and unconventional spaces. For this show, the CCA provides the space to consider 'real and imagined states' via an immersive environment of recognisable terrain and imagined forms. White Mountain continues until 6 January.
On 19 December, Transmission round off the year’s art calendar with their Christmas party and the launch of their new website. Making a big party out of both occasions, art radio station Google Useless Radio will also broadcast their radio show from the Transmission basement live. The gallery's new website will launch from 6pm, and donations of £3 will go to the charity Unity.
In advance of the Christmas Party, GUR will hold two sessions of informal discussion in the Transmission space. Discussion is pitched generally at 'contemporary art” and their feelings of futility in their 'attempts at subversion, critical practice and losing of authorship.' Email uselessradio3.0@gmail.com to attend either session, held on 3 and 13 December from 12-5pm in the Transmission Resource Room.