Rachel Maclean
Happy & Glorious

Sat 31 May — Sun 13 July 2014

Speakers: Erden Kosova (Istanbul), David Bailey (London), Jesse Presley Jones (Dublin) and Rachel Maclean (Glasgow)

This one-day symposium, organized within the framework of Rachel Maclean’s show Happy & Glorious at CCA, looks at the role of the artistic voice in shaping an environment that represents, changes or moves away from forms of national or local cultural identity.
As an introduction to the day, Rachel Maclean will present a short statement, usually designed to position and frame an artistic voice. What do we think her new work should present, and how far can we attach her voice to the scenes we see?

How have artists and their associates organized themselves in raising their voice against or in favour of shaping national identity? Erden Kosova will discuss the possibilities or threatening circumstances when such artists, amongst many others, hit the streets, as we have seen in Istanbul. What happens when art spaces become makeshift hospitals?

Dublin based artist Jesse Jones presents her film The Other North, exhibited last year at CCA Derry-Londonderry. Based on research around the Demilitarised Zone between North and South Korea and archival footage in Northern Ireland, the project speaks about psychological resolutions in conflict zones, focusing on re-enacting therapeutic sessions dealing with the division of personal and national identity in ‘troubled environments’.

Curator and writer David A Bailey introduces his vision on the notion of the ‘diaspora’ through recent projects within and outside the UK. How far can we use a diaspora model to think about national identity and what is required of the position of a (young) diasporic curator as well as of established institutions in shaping such cultural voices?

This event is free but ticketed. Lunch will be provided.

PROGRAMME

Happy & Glorious is part of GENERATION, a landmark series of exhibitions tracing the remarkable development of contemporary art in Scotland over the last 25 years. GENERATION will bring an ambitious and extensive programme of works of art by over 100 artists to over 60 galleries, exhibition spaces and venues the length and breadth of the nation between March – November 2014, with the majority of exhibitions taking place over the summer of 2014, as part of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme.

Full listings and details of the artists involved can be found on the GENERATION website.

GENERATION is a partnership between the National Galleries of Scotland and Glasgow Life, supported by Creative Scotland, and is part of Culture 2014, the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme.

Centre for Contemporary Arts
350 Sauchiehall Street
Glasgow G2 3JD