Roderick Buchanan - Histrionics

Roderick Buchanan, one of Scotland's leading contemporary artists, shows a body of new work as part of the Blind Faith project at GoMA. Buchanan's interest in identity and particularly Scottish identity is strong in most of his work, particularly this recent exhibition. Histrionics looks at what defines and builds identity, taking on the subject of sectarianism in Scotland, with Buchanan using himself as a case study. The exhibition uses elements of Scotland's past and present which are associated with the division of the two main beliefs: protestant and catholic. Visually the exhibition is stripped down to the facts, the gallery split up by the large red triangle which contains two films. The films, which are screened side by side yet separated by a wall, show two marching bands - one protestant, one catholic. The clear-cut display turns the exhibition into an educational platform you are invited to interact with and develop, enabling you to relate on a personal level but also allowing people to see both sides of the issue. The emphasis on personal reflection and raising memory for people whose background is similar to Buchanan's, and that have experienced the divides that exist in Glasgow - along with Buchanan's delivery of the information in clear terms - allows the viewer to gather an opinion of their own, rather than preaching a specific reading to them. The main drive of the exhibition shows that traditions and beliefs are learnt at a young age and segregated schooling contributes to the separation in cultures.